Posted by The issue of identity theft and other election crimes would be addressed at the general election of 2023, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, with the implementation of the Bimodal Voter Authentication System, BVAS.
This was said by Alhaji Umar Ibrahim, the REC for Gombe State, on Wednesday during a stakeholders meeting about getting ready for the general elections of 2023 in Gombe.
Ibrahim stated that the commission continues to place a high premium on the credibility of the general elections in 2023, which is why more advanced technology has been used in recent elections to strengthen the electoral processes.
With BVAS, only voters, in his opinion, will choose who wins elections in the nation.
“I want to reassure the wonderful people of Gombe State that identity theft in elections is no longer a problem and that in our country, only voters can choose the winner of elections.
“There is no denying that the use of technology has significantly enhanced election administration in this nation over time.
The commission would use the BVAS to certify voters and transmit results during the general elections in 2023, according to Ibrahim.
The REC claimed that Gombe State already has all of the BVAS needed to conduct the general elections there in 2023.
Ibrahim reaffirmed the commission’s readiness to hold credible elections in Gombe State and noted that 10 of the 14 listed activities had already been completed.
He urged all parties involved to do their part to ensure that the elections in 2023 go off without a hitch.
“INEC is not responsible for conducting credible elections on its own; free, fair, credible, peaceful, inclusive, and accountable elections are the result of coordinated efforts by all stakeholders.
I strongly urge you to join us in opposing the sale and purchase of PVC and votes, as these actions go against democratic norms and ideals, he said.
The BVAS gadget has been referred to as a “game changer” in recent elections, according to Mr. Bitson Simon, Head of Department, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Voter Registry, Gombe State INEC office.
According to Simon, INEC introduced the technology to address the shortcomings of the card readers used in earlier elections.
He added that “election by proxy will not be conceivable with BVAS,” saying that frauds that were committed on election day in prior elections would no longer be allowed.
He claims that the BVAS will be used to certify voters, send certified data to the INEC server, and send election results to the INEC review portal.
Simon predicted that the BVAS system would increase election transparency in 2023.