The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is intensifying preparations for the upcoming Anambra State governorship election slated for November 8, 2025. To streamline the voting process, the commission intends to deploy over 7,000 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices across the state’s polling units.
As reported by PunchNews, these BVAS gadgets will be distributed among 5,729 polling locations in Anambra. Furthermore, a comprehensive simulation involving mock voter accreditation and a live test of result uploads to the INEC Result Viewing portal (IReV) is planned for October 25. This exercise is designed to verify the functionality of the devices and ensure they are strategically positioned for election day operations.
Resident Electoral Commissioner Dr. Queen Elizabeth Agwu revealed that the voter register for this election includes roughly 2.5 million individuals affiliated with 16 political parties. Among these, 140,000 are newly registered voters. Dr. Agwu shared these insights during the Situation Room Dialogue Session and Strategy Meeting on the Anambra 2025 Governorship Election held in Abuja.
May Agbamuche-Mbu” class=”wp-image-263954″/>INEC has reiterated its dedication to delivering a transparent and efficient electoral process. Acting Chairman May Agbamuche-Mbu, addressing a recent gathering in Abuja, confirmed that all non-sensitive election materials have been dispatched and that voter education initiatives are actively progressing.
“The commission has been rigorously preparing to ensure the smooth conduct of the Anambra governorship election, collaborating closely with security agencies at every level,” she stated.
Despite past setbacks related to electoral technology, INEC views this election as a pivotal moment to showcase its preparedness ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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Addressing BVAS and IReV Concerns: INEC’s Renewed Focus
The BVAS technology functions by verifying voters through fingerprint or facial recognition, ensuring that the individual matches the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) holder registered at the specific polling station. Additionally, it records polling unit results for immediate transmission to the IReV platform.
Although BVAS and IReV have faced public skepticism, INEC continues to assure stakeholders of their dependability and the commission’s unwavering commitment to conducting free and fair elections. The IReV portal, which provides live election results, experienced interruptions during the 2023 general elections, sparking concerns among observers.
Technical glitches with BVAS have also been reported, including delays in voter authentication that caused slowdowns and raised doubts about the accuracy of the election outcomes.
During a recent by-election in some Nigerian local government areas, Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo criticized the BVAS devices for their slow performance. While casting his vote in the Edo Central Senatorial District by-election, he expressed frustration over the delays caused by the machines.
“I just voted, but the BVAS is frustratingly slow. It takes too long to get accredited. INEC should address this issue,” he remarked.
In contrast, Anambra’s Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr. Agwu, affirmed that BVAS has not posed significant challenges in previous elections within the state.
She further assured that all necessary measures are in place to guarantee a peaceful and well-coordinated election, including thorough training for election officials. To counteract potential technical failures, a reserve of BVAS units will be available to replace any malfunctioning devices on election day.
Key Takeaways
- Over 7,000 BVAS devices will be deployed for the Anambra governorship election on November 8, 2025.
- A full-scale rehearsal of BVAS and real-time result uploads via the IReV portal is scheduled for October 25.
- Out of 2.5 million registered voters, 140,000 are newly registered participants.
- INEC is committed to delivering a seamless election and demonstrating readiness for the 2027 general elections.
- Backup BVAS units will be on standby to address any device malfunctions or shortages at polling stations.
Beyond Anambra, INEC is also preparing for the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections scheduled for February 21, 2026, as well as the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, set for June 20 and August 8, 2026, respectively.