By Sabiu Abdullahi
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has responded to recent media reports claiming manipulation of accredited voter figures in the Kogi Governorship Election results on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
The electoral body dismisses the allegations as unfounded and provides clarification on the matter.
In a press release issued today, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Member of the Information and Voter Education Committee, emphasized that the most accurate and up-to-date Voters’ Accreditation Data is stored in the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). The BVAS is responsible for authenticating and accrediting registered voters at polling units on election day.
Haruna clarified that the BVAS primarily operates offline to ensure a faster and more seamless experience for voters.
However, when active and connected to the internet, the BVAS automatically exports accreditation data to the Accreditation Backend System (ABS).
This process may lead to changes in accreditation figures, especially when synchronization is ongoing after the polls close.
He compared this to delays in sending SMS messages when network services are poor, explaining that data exportation doesn’t occur when the BVAS is inactive or has poor internet connectivity.
Haruna further highlighted that Presiding Officers are responsible for pressing the data exportation button on the BVAS at the close of polls, initiating synchronization and updating figures on the ABS.
The caveat displayed on the IReV portal regarding accreditation figures reflects this ongoing process.
INEC urged the public to disregard the misleading reports and misinformation circulating in the media.
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