#EkitiDecides2026: Observers Hail BVAS Performance, Raise Alarm Over Vote-Buying
The EU-SDGN Election Observation Hub has lauded the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during the 2026 Ekiti gubernatorial election, even as it flagged significant concerns regarding electoral malpractice.
The EU-SDGN Election Observation Hub has lauded the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during the 2026 Ekiti gubernatorial election, even as it flagged significant concerns regarding electoral malpractice.
In a preliminary statement released in Ado-Ekiti, the observer coalition—which includes the Kukah Centre, TAF Africa, the Nigerian Women Trust Fund (NWTF), Yiaga Africa, the International Press Centre (IPC), and the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO)—assessed the electoral process as generally efficient but fraught with specific integrity challenges.
According to the observers, the deployment of technology was a major success, with the BVAS recording a 96 per cent functionality rate across monitored polling units.
Despite the technological success, the hub highlighted several “red flag” incidents that threaten the credibility of the #EkitiDecides2026 process.
The observer coalition urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to uphold strict compliance with result management guidelines.
Their primary recommendations include:
Prompt Transparency: Ensure the immediate and accurate uploading of all polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
Equipment Integrity: Replace malfunctioning BVAS units immediately where necessary to prevent disenfranchisement.
Collaborative Responsibility: A call to action was issued to security agencies, political parties, and voters to play their respective roles responsibly to safeguard the integrity and peaceful conclusion of the electoral process.
