By Amaraizu Chidinma Josephine basetvreport@gmail.com
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced plans to carry out a statewide mock accreditation exercise in Anambra State on Saturday, October 25, 2025. This exercise is designed to test-run the upgraded Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and evaluate its performance before the much-anticipated November governorship election.
According to a statement from the Commission, the mock accreditation is part of INEC’s commitment to ensuring a transparent, credible, and hitch-free electoral process in the state. The test run will focus on assessing the response time of the BVAS, as well as the efficiency of result uploads to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal a digital platform where election results from polling units are transmitted and viewed in real time.
INEC revealed that selected polling units for the mock exercise are spread across six local government areas namely Awka South, Idemili North, Oyi, Anambra East, Aguata, and Orumba North. These areas were carefully chosen to represent different terrains and voting environments across the state, enabling the Commission to identify and address any potential technical or logistical challenges before the main election.
The Commission further explained that the mock accreditation exercise is not a voting process but a simulation to test the efficiency of the BVAS device, which has been upgraded to enhance speed, accuracy, and reliability during voter accreditation. INEC officials and technical experts will be on the ground to monitor the process closely, record observations, and make necessary adjustments where needed.
INEC also encouraged all registered voters located within the selected polling units to participate actively in the exercise. The participation of voters, the statement noted, will play a key role in helping the Commission fine-tune its systems and guarantee that the actual governorship election runs smoothly.
In a related development, INEC announced that the collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) for newly registered voters will begin on Wednesday, October 22, and end on Sunday, October 26. Eligible voters are urged to visit their original registration centers to collect their PVCs ahead of the election.
The Commission emphasized that the collection window will not be extended, urging voters to make use of the opportunity to secure their cards early and avoid last-minute rushes.
INEC reaffirmed its readiness to deliver a credible and transparent governorship election in Anambra State, stating that every stage of the process from voter accreditation to result transmission will adhere strictly to the Commission’s standards and electoral guidelines.
As the countdown to the Anambra governorship election continues, residents, political parties, and stakeholders are advised to stay informed, cooperate with INEC officials, and participate in every preparatory activity that will contribute to the success of the electoral process.