Diverse outcomes trailed the mock accreditation conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with participants expressing mixed feelings as to the effectiveness of the process, especially, during the elections proper.

The exercise which was monitored at the two locations, Ward 1, Unit 1 and Ward 5, Unit 28 in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State by Kristina Reports had different outcomes for different persons who participated in the process.

At Ward 1, Unit 1, all those accredited had their fingerprints and facial recognition seamlessly done with the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) while only one person out of five had his fingerprint recognized by the BVAS at Ward 5, Unit 28. However, all five persons had their facial recognition done successfully.

Reacting to the development, a prospective voter, Kenneth Uchendu told Kristina Reports that “everything went successfully, they captured me with my photograph and thumbprint,” adding that with regards to previous elections, there was “a great difference. This one is perfect; if at all Nigeria will use this, everything will go successfully, no cheating, nothing”.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for House of Assembly Bonny Constituency, Dabota Jumbo described the exercise as a “seamless, simple accreditation process involving the device that we are not used to, the BVAS,” noting that “it’s interesting to know that all of your information, especially, the PVC is captured on the BVAS”.

“On arrival, the BVAS will confirm that your registration with your card and on the register. Afterwards your finger will be captured, the fingerprint will capture all your fingers, that’s why it’s called the bimodal; that process is very important, it will ascertain that you are the right person to vote and you have not voted in another polling unit”.

Another prospective voter, Alexander Brown said “the whole thing is moving on as we all expected and as you can see, it is going well,” though he said he could not recognize the BVAS initially, he gave a positive appraisal of the process, narrating that “Yes, I have been accredited; it went successfully. First of all, I presented my voter’s card; secondly, they asked me my name and after that, they now asked me to bring my right hand finger and I thumb printed”.

Also reacting to the conduct of the exercise, Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ward 1 Bonny LGA, Collins Ezekiel-Hart, noted that “from what I have seen. the process is free and easier than the previous process,” asserting that “with this now, we are assured that we will have a huge free and fair elections”.

On his part, the Electoral Officer of INEC Bonny LGA, Inyang Ndarake told Kristina Reports at Ward 5, Unit 28 that the purpose of the accreditation exercise had been achieved as it had given the commission the opportunity to gather relevant data in terms of user experience with the BVAS.

“We are here to conduct a mock accreditation of the BVAS, which is to test run the BVAS before the election; that is the idea of coming in here today.”

“The essence of doing this is to see the cards and the people that are here to see how the cards work with the BVAS; and we have been able to get exact information and data that we need.”