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The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Nasarawa State, Alhaji Shehu El-Wahab, has called for amendments to Nigeria’s Electoral Act to reflect advancements in voting technology, particularly the capabilities of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). Speaking on Electoral Reform Hour, a program on Radio Nigeria, he emphasized that BVAS can identify voters through biometric verification even without the presentation of a Permanent Voter Card (PVC).

“The Honourable Chairman of INEC has brought to bear, and many commentators have also spoken about it, that the capacity and the design of BVAS make it possible for a voter to be identified without presenting PVC. Going forward, we may not be needing PVC,” El-Wahab stated.

He explained that while the Electoral Act still mandates voters to present their PVCs, this requirement may become obsolete due to the efficiency of BVAS in verifying a voter’s identity through facial and fingerprint recognition. He therefore urged lawmakers to amend the relevant sections of the Act to streamline the voting process and prevent unnecessary administrative hurdles for eligible voters.

Beyond the PVC issue, El-Wahab highlighted several areas in the 2022 Electoral Act that require urgent review. He pointed out that certain sections of the law use ambiguous language, particularly in reference to result transmission. “For instance, in one section, the law says INEC shall ‘transfer’ results, while in another section, it says INEC shall ‘transmit’ results directly. There needs to be clarity so as not to put blame where it does not belong,” he said.

El-Wahab also spoke on the need for a more stable funding mechanism for INEC, noting that elections require significant financial resources to be effectively managed. He stressed that the bulk of election expenses occur well before election day, making it imperative for funds to be released on time. He commended the INEC Chairman for engaging the National Assembly early on funding discussions, stating that financial stability would allow for better planning and execution of the 2027 elections.

He further called for reforms to expand voter participation, advocating for voting rights for prisoners, Nigerians in the diaspora, and election officials who are unable to vote due to their duties on election day. He argued that democracy should be inclusive and that all eligible Nigerians should have the opportunity to exercise their franchise.

Addressing challenges faced by INEC during elections, El-Wahab acknowledged logistical difficulties, particularly in the transportation of election materials and personnel. He noted that INEC does not own a significant percentage of the vehicles required for election day operations, leading to reliance on private service providers. “Our experience in 2023 showed that while some states had smooth logistics, others faced serious challenges with transport providers failing to meet their commitments,” he explained.

On security, he praised the improved coordination between security agencies through the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security but noted that more work needed to be done. He revealed that INEC has developed a security alert system, ISAN (INEC Security Alert and Notification System), which allows election officials to send distress signals when in danger. However, he pointed out that the system is dependent on network availability, making its functionality inconsistent in areas with poor connectivity.

El-Wahab also addressed concerns about collation, which many Nigerians consider the weakest link in the electoral process. He explained that the introduction of BVAS and improved accreditation processes should, in theory, eliminate discrepancies in results. “The essence of accreditation using BVAS is that we have a machine that records the total number of accredited voters in a polling unit. It is expected that all figures should align with that baseline. If a collation officer reports something different, then there is a problem,” he said. He encouraged political parties to deploy agents to polling units to verify results and raise immediate concerns where necessary.

On the debate over holding all elections on the same day, El-Wahab expressed reservations about its feasibility. He warned that managing five different elections on the same day would require extensive voter education to prevent confusion at the polls. “We need to ask ourselves if voters will be able to correctly choose candidates for multiple offices on the same day. We may end up with results that people question, not because of rigging but because voters may unknowingly make mistakes,” he cautioned. He added that such a move would also require significant improvements in logistics and security to prevent disruptions.

He concluded by emphasizing that while reforms are necessary, Nigeria should focus on consolidating the gains of the 2022 Electoral Act and addressing its ambiguities rather than overhauling the system entirely. He called on all stakeholders, including civil society organizations and the general public, to play active roles in ensuring a free, fair, and credible electoral process as the country prepares for the 2027 elections.

LISTEN TO THE FULL DISCUSSION HERE