#OsunDecides2026: Slow BVAS At Governor Adeleke’s Polling Unit Triggers Voters’ Anger, INEC Credibility Concerns | Sahara Reporters

Some voters questioned whether the technical problems with the BVAS were simply a malfunction or whether there was a deliberate attempt to frustrate the voting process.

There was a large turnout of voters at the polling unit of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, in Ede on Saturday as voters expressed frustration over delays caused by the slow performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

SaharaReporters observed a large crowd of voters at the polling location, with many of those who turned up to exercise their franchise complaining about difficulties with the accreditation process.

Some voters questioned whether the technical problems with the BVAS were simply a malfunction or whether there was a deliberate attempt to frustrate the voting process.

A voter who resides in Ivory Coast but returned to Ede specifically to participate in the election, Alhaji Olaboye Mudashiru, expressed disappointment over the situation, saying the slow accreditation process had raised questions about the credibility of the electoral process.

“I think it is deplorable to experience that the BVAS are very, very bad,” Mudashiru told SaharaReporters.

“At the polling booth where the governor is voting, here we have a crowd like this, which is not common in Osun State. As you can observe, you can see for yourself.”

Mudashiru said he had travelled from Ivory Coast to his hometown in Ede to participate in the election, stressing that he had made the journey because he wanted to exercise his right to vote.

He said the poor performance of the accreditation devices was particularly concerning given the large number of voters gathered at the polling unit.

“I doubt the credibility of INEC. It is deplorable,” he said.

The voter, who said the polling unit was located within his family compound and was where he normally cast his ballot, explained that he had made a special trip home for the election.

“This polling booth is always like this. From this compound, this is my home, this is my compound, and this is where I used to vote. I came here especially for this election from Ivory Coast,” he said.

Mudashiru also compared the voting experience with what he had witnessed elsewhere, saying the process should be conducted in a manner that inspires confidence among voters.

“Here I experience what is according to vote, comparing to what I am seeing in Nigeria,” he said.

Despite the complaints over the slow BVAS, Mudashiru said he had not witnessed any intimidation or threats against voters at the polling location.

“Is there anything of intimidation? There is nothing like intimidation,” he said.

“I can assure you that there can never be something like intimidation here in Minapogule.”

He, however, urged INEC to take immediate steps to ensure that its officials were properly trained and that the electoral equipment deployed to polling units was thoroughly checked before elections.

Asked what advice he had for the electoral commission, Mudashiru said INEC needed to ensure that competent personnel were deployed and that the BVAS devices and other election materials were in proper working condition.

“I think INEC has to be here and have well-trained personnel, and even check well the devices that they are using, the materials that they are using, which is very, very important for the BVAS to be like that in a polling booth where the crowd is like this,” he said.

The complaints came as voters continued to gather at the polling unit in large numbers, with the slow accreditation process threatening to cause delays in the voting exercise.

The BVAS is a critical component of Nigeria’s electoral process, as it is used by INEC to verify voters’ identities through biometric authentication before they are allowed to vote.

For voters at the governor’s polling unit, however, the reported delays raised concerns about whether the equipment was functioning as expected and whether INEC had adequately prepared for the volume of voters.

The situation also renewed concerns among some voters about the reliability of the electoral technology and the ability of INEC to deliver a smooth and credible voting process.