By Ono Yima
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, has declared that the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has “effectively eliminated” multiple voting and voter impersonation in Nigeria’s elections — an age-long problem that has plagued the nation’s democracy.
Amupitan made the remarks at the 2025 Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibitions in Abuja, organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). He was represented by INEC National Commissioner, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu.
According to the statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Dayo Oketola, the INEC Chairman described BVAS as a “foolproof mechanism for voter verification”, stressing that the device has changed the trajectory of election integrity in Nigeria.
“The BVAS device has become our frontline defence against identity fraud, ensuring that only the rightful, eligible voter can be accredited at the polling unit,” Amupitan said, adding, “With the biometric safeguards now in place, voter impersonation has been effectively eliminated from our electoral system.”
99% Upload Rate: BVAS and IReV No Longer Experimental
Backing his assertions with field data, Amupitan pointed to the recently concluded Anambra Governorship Election, where 6,879 BVAS devices were deployed.
He stated that the devices recorded “highly commendable performance,” adding that more than 99 percent of polling-unit results were uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal on election day.
“These outcomes confirm that the deployment of BVAS and IReV is no longer experimental but an entrenched part of Nigeria’s electoral architecture. The figure announced at the polling units is the same figure visible to the public. Technology has safeguarded the vote.”
The INEC Chairman, a 2004 Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the University of Iowa, emphasised that the credibility of digital innovations was strengthened only after the passage of the Electoral Act 2022, which granted statutory backing to technological devices.
“Section 47(2) of the Act transformed digital devices from mere administrative guidelines into statutorily protected pillars of the electoral system,” he noted.
“This legislative foundation ensures that our digital tools have both operational and legal legitimacy.”
Connectivity Challenges Still Persist
However, Amupitan acknowledged that the Commission still faces significant hurdles — primarily poor network coverage across many communities.
Nigeria’s 176,846 polling units, he said, are scattered across diverse terrains:
swampy settlements, mountainous regions, and remote rural communities with little or no connectivity.
“A tool like the BVAS is only as good as the network it runs on,” he said.
“Achieving real-time upload of results from these areas remains one of the toughest battles for transparency on Election Day.”
He revealed that INEC continues to engage the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and network providers, while exploring alternative technologies to ensure seamless transmission.
‘No Going Back’: INEC Rejects Calls for Manual Processes
Amupitan issued a clear warning to political actors advocating a return to manual accreditation, insisting that the Commission would not reverse electoral progress.
“The gains we have recorded are too significant to reverse,” he said bluntly.
“The old model of manual accreditation is vulnerable to human interference.”
He added that the era of “ghost voters” — a notorious feature of Nigeria’s political landscape — had ended.
“Our mission is simple: to ensure that every eligible voter is accurately verified, every vote properly counted, and every result transparently shared. Technology has helped us secure these foundations of democracy.”
INEC’s bold insistence on technological evolution reflects a broader struggle between democratic integrity and entrenched political habits. While BVAS has demonstrably reduced identity-related fraud, the Commission’s own admissions about connectivity gaps reveal a more complex picture.
The system is strong — perhaps the strongest Nigeria has seen — but it is only as resilient as the infrastructure supporting it.
What emerges, then, is a story not just of technological triumph, but of a nation still negotiating the terrain between innovation and reality. INEC’s message is clear: there is no going back, and the political class must evolve with the times. Yet the real test lies in whether the country can build the backbone and ensure human integrity and transparency needed to support the tools meant to protect our democracy.