The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Dr Wole Oloyede, has expressed dissatisfaction over the slow performance of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), saying it disrupted his accreditation process during the election.
Oloyede, who voted at Unit 6, Ward 3, Osagburu Family Hall in Ikere-Ekiti, said the BVAS device at his polling unit was not functioning properly, leading to delays in the exercise.
As of 8:30 a.m. when voting commenced, only a few voters had been successfully accredited, with reports indicating that just six persons had been cleared to vote at the unit.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were observed at the polling station making efforts to resolve the technical challenges and restore normal voting operations.
Reacting to the situation, Oloyede criticised the process, describing the delay as unacceptable and frustrating for voters.
He said many residents were still unable to vote due to the malfunctioning device, noting that the issue had been recurring in his polling unit during elections.
“I am not satisfied with the process. A lot of my people are yet to vote because the BVAS is not functioning properly.
“This is not the first time we are experiencing this kind of problem here. I will report these irregularities to the appropriate authorities,” he said.
The PDP candidate called on the electoral commission to improve transparency and ensure more efficient conduct of elections.
He also raised concerns over alleged intimidation of his supporters at some polling units, describing the situation as undemocratic.
“Some of my supporters are being harassed at polling units by security agents, and these incidents are not being properly reported.
“I have voted, but I will remain here to ensure that my supporters are also able to exercise their rights,” he added.