A significant technical glitch in the Bio-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has disrupted voting for elderly citizens in Ondo West Local Government Area during the ongoing 2024 Ondo State gubernatorial election.
At Polling Unit 19, Ward 11, Olamojuba, Presiding Officer Miss Angela Oshogwe reported that the BVAS failed to capture the faces of several elderly voters, causing delays and frustration.
According to Oshogwe, the issue was promptly escalated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who confirmed that the malfunction was not isolated to the polling unit but had been reported in a few other locations as well.
“We were informed that the problem was not unique to our polling unit. It affected several elderly voters who were unable to be accredited on their first attempt,” Oshogwe said, adding that the problem was eventually resolved after several attempts
Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, responded to the situation, assuring the public that the commission was aware of the technical issue. “We are aware that in very limited cases, a few elderly voters couldn’t be accredited by the BVAS on their first attempt.
However, the issue was resolved in subsequent attempts. From the reports we have received, the BVAS is performing satisfactorily overall,” Oyekanmi said.
While INEC acknowledged the glitch, Oyekanmi emphasized that technical issues are common in large-scale elections, especially off-season polls. “We anticipated potential challenges and made adequate provisions to address them promptly,” he noted.
However, the affected elderly voters, who had waited for hours at the polling unit, expressed their disappointment at the inconvenience.
Mrs. Agnes Olapade, a septuagenarian, voiced her frustration: “I have been here since 8 a.m. without being able to vote. It is disappointing because I voted without any issue in previous elections.”
Similarly, 87-year-old Mrs. Rukayat Olawoye shared her dissatisfaction. “I came out today hoping to vote, but I have been waiting for so long, and the BVAS has not been able to capture my face,” she lamented.
Another elderly voter, Mrs. Ronke Fayankimi, said she and others were determined to wait until the issue was resolved. “We will wait as long as it takes for the BVAS to work,” she stated.
Despite the frustration, the voters remained hopeful that the issue would be addressed in time for them to cast their ballots.
