The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) during the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State.
During a seminar organized by the International Press Center (IPC) and funded by the European Union (EU) in Akure, the state capital, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Toyin Babalola, alongside Public Relations Officer (PRO) Dr. Temitope Akanmu, stated that over two million voters are expected to participate in the upcoming election.
The seminar was part of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGNII) project, with IPC serving as the lead partner under Component 4, which focuses on supporting the media.
In an interactive session, the REC confirmed that efforts are underway to ensure a credible, inclusive, free, and fair gubernatorial election on November 16, 2024. She revealed that Ondo State has a total of 2,053,061 registered voters and noted that the media registration portal for the election is now open.
Babalola also mentioned that measures have been implemented to address any issues that may arise from faulty BVAS units on election day, including the deployment of Registration Area Technicians to assist at polling stations.
In similar remarks, Akanmu emphasized that INEC is committed to utilizing BVAS and IREV to guarantee a transparent and credible election, referencing comparable arrangements made in Edo State for the September 21 governorship election.
In his welcome address, IPC Executive Director Mr. Lanre Arogundade highlighted the crucial role of the media in upholding electoral integrity. He emphasized that elections are the foundation of democratic societies and underlined the importance of training journalists to effectively cover electoral processes.
Arogundade stressed that the dialogue aimed to promote collaboration among key stakeholders, ensuring that media coverage of the upcoming Ondo State elections remains fair, accurate, ethical, and professional. He also underscored the necessity of engaging journalists in voter education to inform the electorate about their rights and responsibilities.
Additionally, Dr. Tunde Fajimbola, a Senior Lecturer at Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin, spoke on the media’s role in addressing critical issues related to the governorship elections.
Mr. Taiwo Obe, founder of the Journalism Clinic, guided participants on formulating the right questions and crafting impactful stories during electoral coverage.
In his remarks, CEMESO Executive Director Dr. Akin Akingbulu emphasized that off-cycle elections are a significant aspect of Nigeria’s electoral landscape. He stressed the importance of equipping journalists to effectively contribute to credible electoral processes.
Comrade Leke Adegbite, State Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), commended IPC for its dedication to enhancing journalists’ skills through training. He acknowledged the timely nature of the media dialogue and assured the organizers that participants would work diligently to achieve the established objectives.
Journalist101 reports that in the build-up to the 2023 general elections, the INEC made similar promises but failed in keeping same while blaming “technical glitch” for their inability to upload the results of the presidential election to the IREV
