The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Joash Amupitan, SAN, has declared that the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has successfully ended the challenge of identity theft in Nigeria’s elections.
Amupitan made this remark at the 2025 Digital Nigeria International Conference and Exhibitions in Abuja, an event organised by the National Information Technology Development Agency.
Represented by National Commissioner May Agbamuche-Mbu, the INEC Chairman declared that the days of multiple voting and identity fraud are over.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Dayo Oketola, Amupitan described BVAS as a turning point in Nigeria’s democratic journey, calling it a “Foolproof mechanism” for voter verification.
“The BVAS device has become our frontline defence against identity fraud, ensuring that only the rightful, eligible voter can be accredited at the polling unit.
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“With the biometric safeguards now in place, voter impersonation has been effectively eliminated from our electoral system,” the don said in the statement.
Addressing an audience of tech innovators, policymakers and civil society representatives, INEC boss backed his remarks with data from the recent Anambra Governorship election.
He stated that 6,879 BVAS devices deployed for the polls delivered “highly commendable performance,” with more than 99 per cent of polling unit results uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing portal on election day.
“These outcomes confirm that the deployment of BVAS and IReV is no longer experimental but an entrenched part of Nigeria’s electoral architecture.
“The figure announced at the polling units is the same figure visible to the public. Technology has safeguarded the vote,” he said.
Amupitan reminded participants that earlier electoral technologies lacked adequate legal backing, often leaving the commission exposed in election tribunals.
This, he noted, changed with the passage of the Electoral Act 2022. He cited Section 47(2) as the game-changing provision that elevated digital devices from mere administrative tools to “statutorily protected pillars” of elections.
“This legislative foundation ensures that our digital tools have both operational and legal legitimacy.
“It has strengthened public trust and enabled the commission to innovate with confidence,” the professor explained.
Despite the progress, he admitted that connectivity challenges persist. While voter impersonation and multiple voting have largely been eliminated, the uneven telecommunications network across Nigeria remains a major concern.
With 176,846 polling units located in swamps, mountains, and remote communities, Amupitan said the real-time upload of polling unit results to IReV remains one of the commission’s biggest logistical obstacles.
