NEWS

Ondo- INEC to Deploy over 4,000 BVAS

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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has made a significant announcement regarding the upcoming Ondo State governorship election scheduled for November 16. In an exclusive interview, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ondo State, disclosed that over 4,000 Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS) will be deployed to ensure a seamless electoral process.

“We are deploying a total of 4,002 BVAS, with an additional 812 set aside as backups,” Babalola stated during a briefing for reporters and media personalities in Akure, the state capital. “Our goal is to guarantee an efficient electoral process across all polling units in the state.”

In preparation for the election, Babalola highlighted that 17,705 trained ad hoc staff would be deployed. She also provided an update on the issuance of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), which commenced in Ondo State from October 17 to 21, covering all 203 Wards. “Starting tomorrow, October 23, these cards will be available at 18 Local Government Area Offices until October 29,” she added.

As we approach the election, Babalola raised concerns about the impact of fake news and misinformation. “The threat of misinformation is significant, as it can incite unnecessary tension and violence. I urge journalists to play a role in preventing this,” she said.

Babalola assured the public that INEC is collaborating with security agencies to ensure the safety of all election participants, including media personnel.

In a related development, INEC announced that an impressive 55,859 PVCs were collected within just five days from the last Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) initiative in Ondo State. Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, revealed that these cards were collected personally by new registrants and those seeking transfers or replacements for damaged cards.

“During the five-day collection period from October 17 to 21, 2024, INEC facilitated the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards across all 203 Wards,” Olumekun said. “We’re pleased to report that this marked the highest percentage of PVCs collected in a five-day window since the introduction of CVR in 2015, representing 62.2% of the 89,777 cards available for collection.”