By Aderemi Bamgbose
Ahead of the Nov. 16 governorship election in Ondo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday conducted mock accreditation of registered voters in Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the mock accreditation exercise was to test the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the real-time result upload to the INEC Result Viewing portal (IREV).
A visit by NAN Correspondent to Unit 25, Ward 13, Oladipupo Lebi Street in Okitipupa Council area, one of the centres for the mock accreditation exercise, revealed that the exercise was hitch-free.
Although, low turnout of voters were noticed, but the process was smooth as the voters waste no time for accreditation and the BVAS machines deployed were working perfectly.
NAN also reports that INEC staff were attending to voters on time and the presence of security personnel were noticed in the centre.
Mr Adedayo Fakorede, INEC official, told NAN that the exercise was smooth and hitch-free adding that the voters were cooperative in the process.
“You know today is a working day and that is responsible for the low turnout of voters for the exercise, but I believe more are still coming.
“As you can see that the exercise is also smooth and hitch-free, the voters are cooperative, the INEC staff are up and doing, as well as the BVAS working perfectively,” Fakorede said.
Some of the chieftains of political parties who were at unit for the exercise also adjudged it as a success, urging INEC to ensure a hitch-free conduct during the Nov. 16 election.
Pastor Femi Akinleye, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain told NAN that the mock exercise was going on smoothly without hitches.
“The voters are few because today is a working day but since morning when the exercise started, there have not been any record of hitch,” he said.
On his part, Mr Titus Akinsulu, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said INEC has performed wonderfully well during the mock exercise.
“I only hope the smooth exercise will be extended to the day of election where there will be no hitches by BVAS and smooth accreditation,” Akinsulu said. (NAN)
