Edo Decides: Shaibu Faces Voting Delay As BVAS Fails At Polling Unit

Edo Decides: Shaibu Faces Voting Delay As BVAS Fails At Polling Unit

Voting at Unit 5, Ward 11, located at Azama Primary School in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, was delayed on Saturday due to a malfunction in the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). The issue prevented voters, including the former deputy governor of Edo State, Mr. Philip Shaibu, from casting their ballots.

As of 12:10 p.m., Mr. Shaibu and many others who had arrived early to vote were still unable to participate in the election due to the faulty BVAS machine. The device, critical for voter accreditation, had yet to be repaired or replaced by officials from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), leaving many frustrated.

Shaibu expressed his disappointment over the situation but remained optimistic. “We have been here since, and the machine is not working,” he told reporters. He added that reports from other polling units in the local government indicated no such issues, emphasizing that the problem was isolated to his unit.

Despite the setback, Shaibu refrained from suggesting any deliberate sabotage. He mentioned that INEC officials assured him that they would provide a replacement machine and extend the voting time to ensure everyone could vote.

The delay at Shaibu’s polling unit contrasted with reports from other parts of Etsako West, where voting proceeded smoothly. INEC officials are working to resolve the technical issues and ensure that all eligible voters can participate in the gubernatorial election.