#NigeriaDecides2023: PWDs complain of lack of adjustment, BVAS failure and 5 other things we’ve seen in today’s election
Although it might be too early to call, voters in some parts of Nigeria have told Neusroom that they are impressed with the turnout at their polling units in the ongoing 2023 presidential and National Assembly elections in Nigeria.
Correspondent in Jos, Plateau state, Abeokuta in Ogun state, Northern part of Kaduna state and Ibadan in Oyo state report that the voters’ turnout for both young and old appears to be better than the previous elections. However, they have other reservations about the exercise.
From the failure of BVAS machines to vote buying, here are six things we have observed about the ongoing election:
Reports of vote buying in Kaduna
“Serious bribery is really going on in this region,” a correspondent said.
“At ward number 06, polling unit 052, Tundun wada Ward, Zaria local government area, Kaduna North senatorial District, Kaduna state, after voting your phone number will be written at the back of the paper so you can be reached and then money will be given to you or any other form of reward.
No special provision for PWDs
A voter with disability also lamented that there are no reasonable adjustments made at his polling to ensure PWDs vote without going through the hassles like other voters.
Lukman Adewale, a voter with disability, at unit 8, ward 9, Omi Adio, Ido local government area (Ibadan), Oyo state, was frustrated by the process.
He said “there’s no special treatment here. All my efforts to vote here since 8 am have been abortive. I wasn’t allowed to vote and I couldn’t stand for a long time. I spoke with the security agents but they refused to render any assistance.”
Meanwhile, visually impaired voters at Osupa ward 9 Ogbomosho, Oyo State, were able to cast their vote using braille.
Lagos – Labour Party’s name missing on ballot papers
Voters in some parts of the country also complained that the name of the Labour Party was not written under the pary’s logo like other parties.
“The only thing you’ll see under the Labour Party logo is the party’s slogan ‘Forward Ever’, meanwhile the names of other parties were written under their logo for easy identification,” A Neusroom correspondent who voted and also monitored the exercise in the Ogba area of Lagos said. “Some voters had to search for the Labour Party logo on Google to be sure they were voting the right party.”
There have been widespread reports across the country about the failure of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine.
BVAS is an electronic device designed to read Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and authenticate voters through fingerprint verification. It is designed to prove that the holder of the card is the right owner and duly eligible to vote at a particular polling unit. When voters get to the polling unit, they are expected to hand over their PVCs to the Assistant Presiding Officer who will use the BVAS device to authenticate the validity of the card by scanning the QR code.
A correspondent in Jos reported that two BVAS machines failed to accredit voters at the Olusegun Obasanjo primary school, Hwolshe, Jos, Plateau state, leading to outrage at the polling unit.
As at 12:24am, voters were stranded at unit 8, ward 9 Omi Adio, Ido local government area (Ibadan), Oyo state.
Voters say, the BVAS machine is not working adding that about four of the machines have been brought all to no avail.
An aged woman, Taiwo Olalekan said she has been on the queue as early as 8am but has not been accredited as at past 12 pm.
There were also reports that the Governor of Rivers state Nyesom Wike and his wife were unable to vote due to the failure of the BVAS machine.
Voters’ Turnout
INEC said only 34.75 per cent of registered voters voted in 2019, 43.65% in 2015 and 53.68% in 2011, Nigerians are now reporting an impressive voters’ turnout in the ongoing election which they say might beat the number from the previous years.
Inadequate security
“People are affirming that there’s no security here,” a voter at Ake II, Abeokuta South, in Ogun State said.
She feared that it might be easy for hoodlums to snatch ballot box in the area, following reports of ballot box snatching and violence in Kogi and Lagos state.
Voters’ name missing on list
Some Nigerian celebrities Kate Henshaw and Charly Boy have also claimed their names were missing at their polling units.
Nollywood actress Kate Henshaw shared a video on social media claiming the BVAS could not detect her name at her new polling unit after transferring her PVC to the new location.
“I transferred my card now the BVAS is saying I’m not registered but I can see my name on the register on the wall and on INEC website,” Henshaw said.
The actress also claimed that about 20 voters at her polling unit experienced a similar issue.
