Kogi/Bayelsa/Imo polls: IReV not election result collation system – INEC clarifies

Ahead of the governorship elections in Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified the intended purpose of its results viewing portal. INEC Director of ICT, Paul Omokore, stated that the portal “is not for collation or a transmission system.” He emphasized that the primary objective is to enhance transparency in elections.

Omokore explained the specific use of the INEC Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), stating, “It is used to upload pictures of Polling Units (PUs) results on form EC8A to the IReV portal, which does not translate to electronic transmission of results.”

During a presentation at a workshop for journalists, titled “The role of BVAS, IReV for Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo Governorship elections,” Omokore clarified the system’s functionality, stating, “What it does is snap the EC8A which is the result at the polling unit and upload the same to the public view. That is all. So it is not a collecting system.”

Omokore stressed the historical manual transmission of results from PUs to collation centers, noting that technology deployment has proven effective in ensuring free, fair, and credible elections. He further highlighted the purpose of BVAS, stating, “The role of BVAS is to ensure one-person-one-vote,” and added, “The role of the IReV Portal is to improve the openness and credibility of our elections.”