My people, make we gist wetin dey happen for Abuja as INEC don run mock election wey dem sabi say e go set the tone for di real deal wey dey come on 21 February. As dem use dem new Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) check wetin go happen for polling units, di chairman, Joash Amupitan, don talk say BVAS na real game changer!
For dis mock exercise, wey involve 289 polling units, di INEC boss dey shine eye as dem check di performance of di BVAS. E talk say di technology don improve well well to make sure say dem no go get wahala when dem start di Area Council elections. Na correct move be dis o, as dem try to dey sort out tin wey fit happen before di real elections come.
“We no wan use di main election to do test run,” Amupitan yarn. E add say, “E take just five seconds or less to accredit one voter. Na serious speed be dis o!” Di man dey talk say dem check am when voter try to come back after e don vote, BVAS no gree o. Di system don show say no be two time person go fit vote. Na one time each o!
Dem dey talk say people no dey waka come vote well for elections again (voter apathy), but Amupitan say this mock exercise fit help jolt people to come out and show dia vote matter. “No be INEC get responsibility to go dey campaign for dem; na di political parties work be dat,” e add.
As dem dey prepare for di elections, di INEC boss don talk say all di materials wey dem need don dey ready and dem don set up hot spots for presiding officers for rural areas in case any technical wahala wan show face. E also talk say dem dey wait for di National Assembly to finish di Electoral Act wey go fit allow dem do electronic transmission of results. Na serious matter o!
For di ground level, di training of Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) dey go on well. Amupitan dey urge dem to study dia manual well because dem get serious role to play on election day. “Make sure say you no go disappoint di people. Take dis as your own contribution to di development of Naija,” e talk.
People wey dey observe di mock election from di All Progressives Congress (APC) and di African Democratic Congress (ADC) don show presence for some polling units too. One voter wey don use di BVAS during di exercise, Abdul Sule, don talk say di whole process dey set and him dey look forward to stress-free election wey go happen on Saturday.
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