Politics
BVAS malfunctions delay voting in Irepodun, Olorunda, others
AS voting continues in Osun State, voters are complaining about technical glitches involving the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) which have delayed the voting process in parts of Irepodun, Olorunda and Ede Local Government Areas in the state.
The CJID reporter in the state observed that at polling unit 002, located at AUD Primary School in Elerin E Ward 11, Irepodun LGA, electoral officials had accredited and processed only four voters as of 10:46 a.m. due to persistent BVAS failure.
A similar operational delay was recorded at Polling Unit 017 (Ile Egun II), Owode I Ward 06 in Olorunda LGA as of 10:51 a.m., where voters experienced slow accreditation caused by network connectivity issues affecting the device.
Voters at the Olorunda polling unit expressed frustration over the situation, noting that the location of the polling centre appeared to be interfering with network signals required for the BVAS to function effectively.
Additionally, election observers from the CJID reported an instance at the Olorunda polling centre where an intending voter attempted to present a WAEC identity card in place of a Permanent Voter Card (PVC).
The ICIR reported that a large turnout of voters was recorded in parts of the state amid reports of delays and technical glitches with the BVAS.
The ICIR reports that INEC had deployed 4,427 BVAS devices for the Osun election as part of measures to strengthen voter accreditation and safeguard the process.
Across several parts of the state, voters arrived early at polling units, with some residents reaching voting centres before electoral officials.
Voters were seen as early as 6:45 a.m. in parts of Ilesa East, Ilesa West, Ede North, Boripe and Osogbo. In some locations, however, voters were still waiting for officials and materials before accreditation could begin.
The 2026 contest has attracted considerable attention, with Adeleke seeking another term on Accord Party while Bola Oyebamiji seeks the exalted office on the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) platform.
Other contenders, including Najeem Salaam, who flies the African Democratic Congress (ADC), are participating in the exercise.
Zainab Abdulrasaq ia a reporter and a fact-checker with The ICIR. She believes that accountable citizenship starts with an accountable government, which is why she highlights injustice and everyday struggles through her reporting, one story at a time. She adores reading and can be reached via zabdulrasaq@icirnigeria.org and @blackbookishgirl on Instagram/Medium
