Oluwaseye Ogunsanya and Habeeb Adisa
Claim
A WhatsApp user claimed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has allowed voters to be eligible to vote with the last 5 digits of their Voters Identification Number (VIN) without their PVC card.
Verdict
False! The Independent National Electoral Commission has stated severally that without the Permanent Voter’s Card a person cannot vote. Even though the above claim was that with Voters Identification Number (VIN) you can vote.
Full text
A WhatsApp user claimed that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has allowed voters to be eligible to vote with the last 5 digits of their Voters Identification Number (VIN).
In the post, the user asked those who are yet to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) to visit Voter Verification portal cvr.inecnigeria.org/vvs, confirm their name, copy the last 5 digits of the VIN and keep it handy. He added that “With that you are eligible to vote. That is what the BVAS has done for us”.
Verification
According to INEC, without having a PVC, a voter is ineligible to vote on election day.
What is BVAS?
BVAS is known as Bimodal Voter Accreditation System. It is an electronic device designed to read Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and authenticate voters – using the voters’ fingerprints – in order to prove that they are eligible to vote at a particular polling unit.
The BVAS which replaced the Z-pad used for uploading the polling unit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) in real-time on election day also acts as the INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED) during voter registration.
The device was first deployed for use in Isoko South Constituency 1 bye-election in Delta State on 10 September, 2021 followed by Anambra gubanatorial election in the same year and then other subsequent elections.
Although, there has been complain on the functionality of the device during elections but the electoral umpire has allay the fears of voters and observers saying that it has come to stay and there’s no going back on it’s use for 2023 elections.
Procedure For Voting
Below are the procedure for voting as explained by INEC
1.Upon getting to the Polling Unit, you’ll tender your PVC for accreditation using BVAS
2.Check and ensure that your name is on the Voter register in your polling unit
3.Get authenticated with the BVAS through fingerprint or facials
4.Once accredited, you’ll be issued a ballot paper
5.Go to the cubicle and vote for your preferred candidate and drop marked ballot paper in the ballot box
6. You can either leave or stay 300 meters away from the voting area to witness vote sorting and counting
Conclusion
FactcheckElections can conclude that the claim is false. You can only vote with your PVC and not VIN while the BVAS only read Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and authenticate voters.