Voting delayed in Kwali as INEC officials arrive with incorrect BVAS machine

By Khubayb Adefaka

ABUJA – Voting was temporarily disrupted at a polling unit in Kwali Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Saturday after officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reportedly arrived with the wrong Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine.

The affected centre, located at Bako Primary School in Pai Ward and identified as Polling Unit Code 37/05/03/003, had not commenced voter accreditation as of 9:17 a.m., leaving scores of voters waiting at the premises.

Eyewitnesses said electoral officials acknowledged the error, informing voters that an incorrect BVAS device had been deployed to the unit. Arrangements were said to be underway to provide the appropriate machine before accreditation and voting could begin.

Video footage from the scene showed groups of voters gathered within the school compound, many expressing frustration over the delay and uncertainty surrounding the start of the process.

The BVAS device is central to Nigeria’s electoral process, as it is used to verify voters’ identities through biometric authentication before ballots are cast. Delays in its deployment often disrupt voting schedules and may raise concerns about possible voter disenfranchisement.

The incident adds to reports of logistical challenges in parts of the FCT Area Council elections. In several locations, voters were seen moving between polling centres in search of their designated units, citing poor communication and inadequate information.

One voter, who identified herself simply as Precious, said she had struggled to locate her polling unit. According to her, she was searching for Regina Health Centre but found it difficult to navigate the area as she was unfamiliar with the environment.

As of the time of filing this report, it remained unclear when the correct BVAS machine would arrive at the Kwali polling unit, while voters continued to wait for accreditation to commence.