Rivers State governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has said the associated slow performance of the Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation System (BIVAS) was an evidence of poor level of preparation on the part of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2023 general elections.
Wike expressed his displeasure when he spoke to journalists shortly after he eventually cast his vote at 12.42pm at his polling unit 7 in Ward 9, Rumueprikom of Obio/Akpor local government area of Rivers State.
The governor and his wife, Justice Suzzette Eberechi Nyesom-Wike, had returned to the polling unit two hours after they were initially unable to cast their votes due to failure of BIVAS to accredit them.
He said despite the promise of fixing the identified problem that delayed voting at the polling unit, INEC seemed not in full control in order to ensure the BIVAS machine operate maximally.
Wike said: “Of all the promises made since I left here two hours ago, the BIVAS is still not very functional. I don’t want to begin to suspect foul play.
“But from reports that I have received from other local governments, it does appear to me that it is the same experience.
“And then, you now wonder why it will be the same experience to Rivers people. I don’t want to have any suspicion yet. But I don’t think it is quite encouraging.”
The governor pointed to how the problem should not be allowed unresolved because that could lead to disenfranchising registered voters in the polling unit and other parts of the State that had similar experience.
He added: “My people cannot be disenfranchised. As you can see, I have never done an election where you see this kind of crowd. I believe that they will extend the voting period (time) to 6pm.
