The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Wednesday received the last consignment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation (BVAS) machines ahead of the 2023 general election.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, and the commission’s nationals commissioners, as well as its senior officials received the BVAS at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.
In a statement, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, noted that “in furtherance of the preparations for the 2023 General Election, the commission, yesterday, January 3, 2023, received the last consignment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation (BVAS) machines with 52 days to the election”.
According to the statement, “the commission’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, National Commissioners and senior officials of the commission were at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja to receive the BVAS. Officials of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) and airport security officials were at the airport to receive the INEC team”.
It added: “To facilitate the smooth delivery of the machines, the commission created four airport hubs in Abuja, Kano, Lagos, and Port Harcourt. Over the last four months, several flights delivered the BVAS to the designated airports for movement to states of the federation ahead of the elections.
“With the arrival of the last flight in Abuja yesterday, the commission has now taken delivery of the required number of the BVAS for all the polling units in the country and extra machines, in line with our contingency provisions for all critical election materials.
“The commission appreciates the support of all Nigerians in its determination to conduct a free, fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive 2023 general election facilitated by the deployment of technology.”