The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to carry out a mock accreditation exercise in Anambra State as part of its preparations for the forthcoming governorship election scheduled for November.
The test aims to evaluate the performance of the upgraded Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
In a statement released on Saturday by Victoria Eta-Messi, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, the mock exercise is set for Saturday, October 25, and will be conducted in selected polling units across the three senatorial districts of the state.
According to the commission, the exercise is designed to assess the BVAS’ speed, reliability, and the efficiency of transmitting results to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. “The mock accreditation exercise will allow INEC to test the upgraded Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), assess its response time, and test the uploading of results on the INEC Result Viewing Portal ahead of the main election,” the statement read.
Polling units in Awka South, Idemili North, Oyi, Anambra East, Aguata, and Orumba North local government areas have been selected for the pilot test. INEC encouraged residents in these areas to participate actively, noting that their involvement will help the commission fine-tune both operational and technological aspects of the election process before the main poll.
Furthermore, INEC disclosed that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for newly registered voters in Anambra will commence on Wednesday, October 22, and continue until Sunday, October 26.
Voters who took part in the recent Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise are advised to collect their PVCs from the specific registration centers where they initially enrolled. The commission stressed that PVC collection is strictly personal, warning that no proxy collection will be allowed under any circumstance.
“All registered voters are strongly encouraged to collect their PVCs within the designated timeframe to ensure eligibility to vote in the upcoming Anambra governorship election,” INEC emphasized.
Reiterating its commitment to transparency, efficiency, and public confidence, INEC assured stakeholders that every step is being taken to guarantee a smooth and credible electoral process in Anambra State as preparations for the 2025 governorship election intensify.
What You Should Know
INEC will hold a mock accreditation exercise in Anambra on October 25 to test the upgraded BVAS and result transmission system ahead of the 2025 governorship election.
The exercise will take place in selected polling units, while PVC collection for new voters runs from October 22 to 26.
