BVAS and IREV: Busting the Myths and Setting the Record Straight
BVAS and IREV. There’s been a lot of chatter about them being a scam, but guess what? That’s just a bunch of myths! Let’s break it down in simple terms and clear up the confusion once and for all.
First things first, BVAS (Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System) is NOT a vote-counting machine. Nope, it doesn’t tally the results. What it does is verify voters using fingerprint and facial recognition to make sure only legitimate voters get to cast their ballots. That’s a win against voter impersonation and over-voting!
Some folks think voting stops if BVAS glitches again. INEC has backup devices on standby. In rare cases, elections in affected polling units may be rescheduled. So, no worries your vote still counts!
Then there’s IREV (INEC Result Viewing Portal). Think of it as an online bulletin board where scanned polling unit results are uploaded for everyone to see transparency at its finest! But let’s get one thing straight: IERV doesn’t collate or count votes. It just gives the public easy access to election results, making sure everything is out in the open.
Before IREV, election results weren’t as accessible, making it harder to spot discrepancies. Now, you can check polling unit results in real time. That’s a huge step toward fair elections!
We get it, slow uploads, network issues, and server downtimes can be frustrating. But let’s not confuse technical hiccups with fraud. These are just areas that need improvement, not proof of manipulation. INEC is constantly working to make things smoother, so patience is key!
INEC isn’t just sitting around. They’re actively working with the National Assembly and stakeholders to fine-tune election result management laws. Plus, they’re doubling down on voter education to build trust, fight voter apathy, and make elections more credible.
So, the next time someone tries to sell you the idea that BVAS and IREV are scams, hit them with the facts! These tech tools are here to make Nigeria’s elections better, not worse.
