The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is gearing up for the Anambra State governorship election scheduled for November 8, 2025. In preparation, the commission plans to deploy more than 7,000 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices across the state’s polling stations.
According to a report by PunchNews, these devices will be distributed to 5,729 polling units throughout Anambra. Additionally, a comprehensive trial involving a mock accreditation and a test of real-time result uploads to the INEC Result Viewing portal (IReV) is slated for October 25.
This rehearsal aims to evaluate the operational efficiency of the BVAS units and optimize their placement to ensure smooth functioning on election day.
Resident Electoral Commissioner Dr. Queen Elizabeth Agwu disclosed that approximately 2.5 million registered voters, representing 16 political parties, are expected to participate in the election. Notably, 140,000 of these voters are newly registered. Dr. Agwu shared these details during the Situation Room Dialogue Session and Strategy Meeting on the Anambra 2025 Governorship Election held in Abuja.
INEC has affirmed its preparedness to conduct the election seamlessly. Acting Chairman May Agbamuche-Mbu, speaking at a recent meeting in Abuja, confirmed that all non-sensitive electoral materials have been dispatched, and voter education campaigns are actively underway.
“The commission has been diligently coordinating efforts to ensure the successful execution of the Anambra governorship election, engaging extensively with security agencies at all levels,” she stated.
Despite previous challenges with the performance of electoral technology, INEC views the Anambra election as a critical opportunity to demonstrate its capability ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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BVAS and IReV: INEC’s Efforts to Address Past Challenges
The BVAS device plays a crucial role in authenticating voters by verifying fingerprints or facial features, ensuring that the individual presenting a Permanent Voter Card (PVC) is registered at the designated polling unit. Additionally, BVAS captures polling unit results, which are then uploaded to the IReV platform for real-time public viewing.
While BVAS and IReV have faced scrutiny from the public, INEC continues to emphasize its commitment to transparency and fairness. The IReV system, designed to provide instant access to election results, experienced a significant crash during the 2023 general elections, undermining confidence.
Moreover, technical difficulties with BVAS have been reported, including instances where the device failed to properly accredit voters, leading to delays and raising doubts about the accuracy of election outcomes.
During the Edo Central Senatorial District by-election in August, Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State voiced concerns about the sluggish performance of BVAS devices, noting that the slow accreditation process was causing delays at polling stations.
“I just voted, but the BVAS is frustratingly slow. It takes too long to get accredited. INEC should address this issue,” he remarked.
Contrastingly, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Anambra, Dr. Agwu, maintained that BVAS has functioned effectively in previous elections within the state.
She further assured that all necessary preparations are in place to guarantee a peaceful and orderly election, including comprehensive training for all election officials. To mitigate potential technical failures, a reserve stock of BVAS devices will be available to replace any malfunctioning units during the election.
Summary
- More than 7,000 BVAS devices will be deployed for the Anambra governorship election on November 8, 2025.
- A full-scale test of BVAS and real-time result uploads via the IReV portal is scheduled for October 25.
- Out of 2.5 million registered voters, 140,000 are newly registered participants.
- INEC is committed to delivering a glitch-free election and showcasing its readiness for the 2027 general elections.
- Backup BVAS units will be on standby to address any device failures or shortages at polling stations.
Beyond Anambra, INEC is also preparing for the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections set for February 21, 2026, as well as the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, scheduled for June 20 and August 8, 2026, respectively.
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