In a recent interview, Samson Itodo, the executive director of Yiaga Africa, expressed his views on the upcoming Edo and Ondo governorship elections and highlighted the need for a reevaluation of the voting process in Nigeria.
Itodo specifically discussed the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) and its potential to replace the use of Permanent Voters Cards (PVC) during elections.
Itodo argued that BIVAS should render the use of PVC unnecessary and called for updates to electoral laws to adapt to the new technological advancements.
He raised concerns about the possibility of a significant number of registered voters not receiving their PVCs in time for the elections in Edo and Ondo.
According to Itodo, as long as a voter has any form of identification, such as a National Identity Card, driver’s license, or passport, and their name is on the voter register, they should be eligible to vote.
He criticized the current practice of disenfranchising individuals who cannot secure a PVC due to logistical issues on the part of the electoral commission, emphasizing that it infringes upon their rights.
“We have been advocating for the elimination of PVCs in elections. It is perplexing why we continue to rely on PVCs when we have a fully functional BIVAS for voter accreditation. If your details are already on BIVAS, you should be able to vote by presenting any valid form of identification,” Itodo stated.
Itodo also highlighted the low participation of Nigerian youths in the electoral process, attributing it to factors such as insecurity and a lack of trust in the system. He emphasized the need to address these issues to encourage greater youth engagement in elections.
