2023 ELECTION:INEC warns Bauchi women against getting henna on their hands before voting.

Women in Bauchi who plan to cast votes in the upcoming general elections have been warned not to have henna one week prior to voting so that their finger prints can be recognized by the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

The advise was made by Modibo Abubakar, the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Bauchi, Borno, and Yobe, in response to queries from local press after observing the fake accreditation and BVAS machine operation on Saturday.

Twelve voting units in six Registration Areas/Wards, located in the three Senatorial zones of Bauchi, Darazo, Katagum, Ningi, Toro, and Zaki LGAs, participated in the Mock Accreditation to evaluate the functionality of the BVAS.

After observing the execution of the exercise in the Darazo LGA of Bauchi State, Modibo Abubakar Alkali (Rtd), the INEC National Commissioner in charge of Bauchi, Borno, and Yobe States, said the exercise was praiseworthy.

The National Commissioner added that the simulated election was yet another achievement in the country’s efforts to ensure the success of the upcoming general elections in 2023.

Out of the six local government areas where the simulated exercise was done, the National Commissioner stated that the certification process was outstanding because the statistics conformed strongly and optimally.

He added that all of the polling places visited had fantastic voter turnout, and more people were still anticipated to vote before the polls closed at 2:30 pm.

Modibo Alkali also praised the INEC for implementing the Biomodal Voter Registration System (BVAS), noting that it was speedier and more efficient because it recorded the fingerprint in less than a minute without wasting any time.

Then, in order for the machine to read their fingerprints, he instructed the women to refrain from applying henna on their hands at least a week prior to voting day.

However, he urged the public to always direct their complaints through the INEC and work with them to educate the public on the significance of the exercise, especially at the grassroots level.

The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) test run that was conducted in the State by the Bauchi INEC Regional Executive Committee, Mohammed Nura, was deemed successful.

Some voters at Majidadi ward, Ajiyari Primary School in Bauchi and Darazo local governments expressed their confidence on the BVAS machine, saying “We are now confident that our votes will count this time around”.

They applauded INEC and the federal government for using the BVAS in the upcoming general elections in the nation in 2023.

The electorate indicated confidence that the BVAS system will function smoothly during the general election in the same manner as it did during the mock exercise.

One of the voters, Aisha Musa said that, “I am very happy with the way the machine operated, it did not take me more than a minute to get accredited, it was not difficult at all. I hope that it will be same during the elections proper”.