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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Elections & Politics

#OsunDecides2026: I want to vote, 55-year-old resident cries out after BVAS facial recognition failure

From The Punch · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • A 55-year-old voter, Sharafa Lasisi, reported that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) failed to recognize his face multiple times.
  • Election officials attributed the issue to network problems and advised him to return later, but the problem persisted.
  • Lasisi appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resolve the issue and allow him to cast his vote.

Sharafa Lasisi, a 55-year-old voter in Osun State, has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address a persistent issue with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) that prevented him from voting. Lasisi attempted to verify his face at Polling Unit 006, Ward 04, in the Ifelodun Local Government Area, but the machine repeatedly failed to recognize him.

Election officials initially cited network problems as the cause and suggested Lasisi return later. However, upon his return, he encountered the same verification failure. "My name is Sharafa Lasisi. I am from Alamisi Unit 6. I am 55 years old. I have been to where they are supposed to verify my face but they said the network isn’t letting the verification go through," Lasisi explained.

My name is Sharafa Lasisi. I am from Alamisi Unit 6. I am 55 years old. I have been to where they are supposed to verify my face but they said the network isn’t letting the verification go through.

— Sharafa LasisiDescribing the repeated failure of the BVAS facial recognition system.

He expressed his distress, stating, "They said I should go and eat at home. I went and came back and it still didn’t go through. I want them to help me so I will be able to cast my vote also." Lasisi's plight highlights the technical challenges faced by some voters during the Osun State governorship election, despite the overall turnout.

The voter urged electoral authorities to intervene promptly to ensure he is not disenfranchised and can exercise his fundamental right to vote. His situation underscores the importance of reliable technology in electoral processes.

They said I should go and eat at home. I went and came back and it still didn’t go through. I want them to help me so I will be able to cast my vote also.

— Sharafa LasisiExpressing his frustration and appealing for assistance to vote.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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