Ekiti election: Elderly voters stranded by BVAS authentication failures

Elderly voters in Nigeria's Ekiti State encountered significant hurdles during the governorship election as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) repeatedly failed to authenticate their identities. Multiple polling units across Ado Ekiti, Ikere Ekiti, and Iyin Ekiti reported incidents where the system could not recognize voters' facial features or fingerprints.

Many of the affected voters, some of whom arrived early, were unable to complete the accreditation process despite multiple attempts. An 86-year-old voter, Aliyu Sunday, at Ward 4, Unit 1 in Ado Ekiti, was among those unable to vote after the BVAS failed to capture his biometrics. Similarly, Mary Ajagbanla, reportedly around 120 years old, experienced the same issue at Ward 2, Unit 3 in Iyin Ekiti.

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I arrived here around 9 am. But I was told the machine couldn’t read my face. I was told to wait.

Despite their frustration, the elderly voters demonstrated a strong commitment to exercising their franchise. Ajagbanla, speaking to The PUNCH, expressed her determination to wait until she could cast her vote, recalling her history of voting since the time of Governor Adeyinka Adebayo. "I will wait. I won’t leave until I vote. I will be patient," she stated, underscoring the importance of the electoral process to her.

The BVAS failures raise concerns about the system's reliability and accessibility, particularly for vulnerable demographics like the elderly. While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials were present, the technical glitches prevented many from participating, despite their resolve.

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I will wait. I won’t leave until I vote. I will be patient. I have been voting for long. I can remember I voted during Adebayo (When Adeyinka Adebayo) was governor. I voted 4 years ago, too.