We’ve set aside 8,809 BVAS as backup – INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC said it has set aside additional 8,809 Bimodal Voters Accreditation System machines as back up that will be deployed across all the polling units nationwide for the 2023 elections.
The National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye disclosed this on Wednesday.
According to Okoye, the commission would deploy over 194,464 BVAS machines in 176, 846 polling units across the country.
The commission, which took delivery of the last batch of the machines at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Tuesday, said this was in line with its contingency provisions for all critical election materials.
Okoye explained that 176,846 polling units would receive a BVAS each, adding that each registration area amounting to 8,809, would also get at least two BVAS as backup in case of malfunction, bringing the total to over 194,464 BVAS machines.
Okoye said “We have 176, 846 polling units in Nigeria. All of them will have a BVAS. Some polling units may still have more than 750 registered voters. We shall deploy additional BVAS to such polling units.
“We have 8,809 registration areas in Nigeria. Each one will have at least two BVAS for purposes of quick intervention in cases of sustained malfunction of BVAS in any of the polling units in each electoral ward.’’
Okoye, in an earlier statement, had disclosed that the commission received the last batch of the BVAS machines on Tuesday.
He said the commission created four airport hubs in Abuja, Kano, Lagos, and Port Harcourt to facilitate the smooth delivery of the machines.
The statement reads, “In furtherance of the preparations for the 2023 general election, the commission, yesterday, 3rd January 2023, received the last consignment of the bimodal voter accreditation machines with 52 days to the election.
