The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will hold a mock accreditation of voters in Edo on Sept. 10 in continuation of its preparations for the state governorship election.
Mr Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said on Tuesday in Abuja, that the exercise would hold at designated polling units from 8.30a.m to 2.30p.m.
Olumekun said, in a statement, that the exercise was to test-run the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and result upload to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal for the election.
“For this purpose, the commission has designated 12 units across six local governments in the three senatorial districts of the state as centres for the mock accreditation.
“In Edo Central, the exercise will take place in Eguare Primary School, Eguare 1, and Uwenujie Primary School, Uwenujie, in Esan Central LGA as well as Eguare Primary School 1, Ewohimi.
”The other is Eguare Okhuesan (Former L. A. School 1), Emu, in Esan South East LGA.
“In Edo North, Usokwi Iyogbe Azama Primary School, Yeluwa, and the polling unit at Institute of Continuing Education Road, Auchi, in Etsako West LGA.
“Uhonmwora Owere Primary School, Uhonmwora-Ora, and Holy Trinity Grammar School, Sabongidda-Ora, will serve as centres in Owan West LGA.
“In Edo South, Western Boys’ High School 1 and Ologbosere Primary School 1 are the designated centres in Ikpoba Okha LGA while Idia College I and Payne Primary School 1 will serve as centres for Oredo LGA,” he said.
Olumekun said that a graphic image containing names and locations of the centres had been uploaded to INEC website and social media platforms for public information.
He appealed to registered voters in the affected units to come out with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for the exercise.
He said that only registered voters for the designated polling units were invited to participate in the exercise, adding that no voter from another polling unit can be accredited by the BVAS.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Edo governorship election is scheduled for Sept. 21.(NAN)