The breakdown of the Bio-modal Voter Accreditation System prevented Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike from casting his ballot at Polling Unit 8, Ward 9, Rumueprikon, Obio-Akpor, after waiting for nearly 25 minutes (BIVAS).
At around 11 am, the Governor and his wife Suzzette departed the voting place despite requests from Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) authorities that they wait a short while.
The officials referred to the malfunctioning BIVAS as a widespread issue in the State and said they were awaiting personnel assigned to the unit to address the issue.
The unit’s accreditation process was being keenly awaited by a large gathering of voters.
The Governor expressed dissatisfaction with INEC before leaving the group.
We are quite dissatisfied, he remarked. The INEC assured us that BIVAS are operational and that they are prepared for the poll. You can see the crowd here, but I don’t believe that many of them will be able to cast a ballot due to the BIVAS’s delayed operation.
“After approximately 25 minutes here, I was told to leave and return because they would fix the BIVAS. We are quite dissatisfied. What do you expect if a significant proportion of individuals are denied their rights?
“People will get irrational, and anything might occur. Before informing the populace that they are prepared, INEC should have been fully prepared. Nowhere in the state is any violence.