CSO Demands INEC Explanation Over BVAS Failures in Osun

The Coalition of Concerned Nigeria Citizens has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to explain the alleged widespread failure of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during a mock accreditation exercise held on Saturday, ahead of the Osun State governorship election scheduled for August 15, 2026. The coalition reported significant technical challenges at various polling units, which raised concerns about INEC’s preparedness for the election.

According to spokesperson Comrade Raufu Sodiq, the exercise, intended to assess INEC’s readiness, began late in some locations and many BVAS devices failed to recognize fingerprints, facial features, and Permanent Voter Cards within 40 minutes of commencement. The coalition emphasized the importance of voter accreditation in ensuring electoral integrity and questioned the technical failures despite substantial public investment in electoral technology.

They urged INEC to clarify the nature of the glitches, replace faulty machines, and consider conducting another mock exercise to restore public confidence.