From Moshood Karim
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Edo State chapter organised a crucial training session on Saturday at the John Oyegun Public Service Academy for its party agents in preparation for the upcoming governorship election on September 21.
The training focused on equipping agents with the necessary skills to collaborate effectively with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders during the election process.
During the session, PDP stressed the role of key stakeholders such as election officials, security personnel, observers, journalists, and voters in ensuring a smooth electoral process. The importance of ensuring that all procedures are followed to maintain the credibility of the election was highlighted.
A significant aspect of the training was the discussion on the replacement of card readers, which were reported to be prone to manipulation for election fraud.
As a result, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has been adopted for the election. The BVAS will help curb fraudulent practices and ensure more secure voter accreditation and result transmission.
Party agents were also briefed on their specific duties, which include setting up polling units, arranging voting cubicles, and managing the flow of the voting process. The voting will begin at 8:30 AM and end at 2:30 PM, although the closing time can be extended to 6:00 PM if voters are still in line by 2:30 PM.
The training also addressed how agents should guide voters in handling ballot papers and working closely with INEC officials.
A presentation was made on the BVAS technology, highlighting features such as improved IREV (INEC Result Viewing Portal), PDF reader, Wi-Fi reader, and the BVAS number system for retrieving voter information.
Various BVAS verification methods were discussed, including the use of surname, last digits of the Voter Identification Number (VIN), QR code scanning, and scanning the barcode on the Permanent Voter Card (PVC). Fingerprint and facial recognition were also identified as key authentication methods.
The party agents were reminded of their responsibility to ensure voter accreditation is successful, verify that genuine INEC BVAS devices are used for result uploads, and ensure seamless integration between BVAS and IREV throughout the election process.
As the countdown to the Edo State governorship election gets nearer, PDP’s efforts to prepare its agents for smooth coordination with INEC aims to enhance the credibility and transparency of the election.
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