The Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) has announced that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) will not be utilized for the upcoming Local Government elections on September 28. Anthony Nnalue, the Commissioner for Information and Logistics, made this statement during a sensitization program for election observers and media personnel organized by the International Peace and Civil Responsibility Centre (IPCRC) in Awka.
Nnalue cited the unreliability of the BVAS, referencing its disappointing performance in previous elections. Instead, the commission will employ manual accreditation, which he deemed more reliable to prevent tampering with election results.
He assured that election materials would arrive on time, ending the previous delays experienced in the state. Non-sensitive materials are already en route to local government councils, and 5,720 ad-hoc staff have been trained to facilitate the elections.
Notably, elections will not occur in Nnewi South, Orumba South, and Idemili South; voters from these areas will cast their ballots at council headquarters for safety reasons. Nnalue encouraged the electorate to participate actively, assuring them that their votes would count.
Chris Azor, Coordinator of IPCRC, urged both politicians and voters to remain vigilant against vote buying, violence, gender discrimination, and over-voting. He also called on security agencies to uphold neutrality and respect for human rights, announcing the establishment of a Situation Room in Awka for real-time election coordination and reporting.
“As accredited observers, we are committed to ensuring a free, fair, credible, and peaceful local government election in Anambra state,” Azor stated.