The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Wole Oluyede, has raised concerns over the performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) at his polling unit, alleging that technical glitches slowed down accreditation and delayed voting during Saturday’s election.
Oluyede expressed his dissatisfaction shortly after casting his ballot at Unit 6, Ward 3, Osagburu Family Hall, Ikere-Ekiti, where he said the process had been far from smooth.
According to the PDP candidate, the BVAS machine at his polling unit malfunctioned at the early stage of the exercise, resulting in a sluggish accreditation process that left several voters waiting for extended periods.
He noted that as of the time he spoke, only a handful of voters had been successfully accredited since voting began at about 8:30 am.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were observed making efforts to resolve the technical challenge and restore normal voting operations.
Oluyede, however, described the situation as unacceptable, stressing that recurring technical faults at polling units could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
Allegations of Harassment and Call for Transparency
The PDP governorship candidate also alleged that some of his supporters were being harassed at various polling units, calling for greater fairness and transparency in the conduct of the election.
Also Read: Ekiti election: Deputy governor Monisade Afuye casts vote, commends voter turnout
He urged INEC to improve its processes and ensure that technological failures do not disenfranchise voters.
“The electoral process is not satisfactory. Many of my people are yet to vote because the BVAS is not functioning properly,” he said.
He added that he would formally report the irregularities to the appropriate authorities for further action.
Despite the challenges, Oluyede said he would remain within the polling area after casting his vote to ensure that his supporters were able to exercise their civic rights without hindrance.
“I have cast my vote, but I will stay back to ensure my supporters also vote,” he said.
The PDP candidate also called for stronger safeguards to protect voters and improve the credibility of future elections.