Osun Election: ‘I Want to Vote’, 55-Year-Old Sharafa Lasisi Laments BVAS Failure

A 55-year-old voter in Osun State, Sharafa Lasisi, has appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to resolve a technical problem preventing him from completing the accreditation process during Saturday’s governorship election.

Lasisi, who identified himself as a voter from Alamisi Unit 6, said he was unable to proceed with voting because the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) failed to recognise his face.

According to him, he repeatedly attempted the facial verification process but was unsuccessful, with network problems reportedly preventing the system from completing the accreditation.

“My name is Sharafa Lasisi. I am from Alamisi Unit 6. I am 55 years old. I have been to where they are supposed to verify my face, but they said the network isn’t letting the verification go through,” he said.

Lasisi explained that he was initially advised to leave the polling unit and return later, hoping the technical difficulty would have been resolved.

He said he followed the instruction and returned to the polling unit, but the problem persisted.

“They said I should go and eat at home. I went and came back and it still didn’t go through,” Lasisi said.

The voter subsequently appealed to INEC officials to intervene and ensure that the technical difficulty did not prevent him from exercising his constitutional right to vote.

“I want them to help me so I will be able to cast my vote also,” he said.

BVAS is used by INEC to authenticate voters during elections through biometric verification, including fingerprint and facial recognition.

Technical difficulties involving accreditation devices and network connectivity can potentially delay voting at affected polling units, particularly where voters are unable to complete the required verification process.

Lasisi’s complaint comes as thousands of voters across Osun State participate in the governorship election, with electoral officials expected to ensure that eligible voters are properly accredited and allowed to cast their ballots.

The election has witnessed reports of disruptions and tension in some locations, while security agencies have deployed personnel across the state to maintain order.

INEC had earlier assured stakeholders of its readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and transparent election.

For voters such as Lasisi, the timely resolution of accreditation challenges remains critical to ensuring that technical difficulties do not disenfranchise eligible citizens during the poll.