Technical difficulties involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) disrupted the voting process at a major polling unit in Ado-Ekiti on Saturday, causing lengthy delays and testing the patience of hundreds of voters participating in the Ekiti State governorship election.
The challenges were observed at Polling Unit 018, located in the open space in front of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, one of the largest polling centres in the state capital with a registered voter population of 884.
Election activities had commenced smoothly in the early hours of the day, with accreditation and voting reportedly beginning at about 8:30 a.m. Electoral materials arrived on schedule, while voters turned out early and queued peacefully to exercise their civic responsibility.
However, the process later slowed considerably as the BVAS devices used for voter accreditation began experiencing intermittent malfunctions.
When journalists visited the polling station at approximately 11:45 a.m., large queues had formed around the accreditation points as electoral officials struggled with the recurring technical issues. The devices reportedly functioned only sporadically, forcing officials to repeatedly pause the accreditation process and leaving many voters waiting for extended periods under the scorching weather.
The development generated frustration among voters who had arrived early expecting a seamless voting experience.
Several voters expressed concern that the delays could discourage participation and prolong the electoral process, particularly for elderly persons and others unable to remain on their feet for several hours.
Despite the challenges, the atmosphere at the polling unit remained largely peaceful and orderly. Many voters chose to remain at the venue, determined to cast their ballots once the technical problems were resolved.
Electoral officials were seen making efforts to address the glitches and restore normal operations, while party agents and election observers monitored proceedings.
The BVAS technology, introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen the credibility of elections through biometric voter verification, has played a central role in recent elections across Nigeria. However, technical failures have occasionally posed operational challenges at some polling units.
At Polling Unit 018, voters expressed hope that the issues would be resolved quickly to enable all eligible voters to participate in the election without disenfranchisement.
The situation underscored the critical importance of reliable election technology in ensuring smooth electoral processes and maintaining public confidence in democratic institutions.
As of the time of filing this report, accreditation and voting continued intermittently at the polling unit while voters patiently awaited improvements in the functionality of the BVAS devices.
