There is widespread outrage in Owan East Local Government Area of Edo State following reports that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the ongoing governorship election are not working.
Voters who had come out in large numbers to cast their ballots were left frustrated as INEC officials on the ground appeared powerless to fix the malfunctioning devices, leading to mounting suspicions about the integrity of the process.
Eyewitness reports from the area suggest that the INEC officials have been idling at various polling units, doing nothing to address the technical difficulties, further heightening tensions.
Many of the voters who spoke to reporters expressed outrage, claiming that the failure of the BVAS machines indicates that the results for Owan East may already have been predetermined.
One visibly upset voter, Mrs. Omoye Aghedo, said, “We came out to vote as responsible citizens, but INEC has shown us that they are not ready for a free and fair election.
“This BVAS issue is deliberate. How can none of the machines be working, and INEC is just sitting there, doing nothing? This is a clear sign that there is already a result waiting for them at the local government headquarters.”
Another resident, Mr. Osato Ekhator, stated, “It is clear that this election is being rigged. If INEC was serious about this election, they would have fixed the problem. We cannot be denied our right to vote because of faulty machines, yet nothing is being done to rectify it.”
Despite the growing anger among voters, no visible attempts have been \by INEC officials to escalate the situation or provide alternatives.