Edo 2024: PDP Charges Accredited Agents on INEC Collaboration as Party Conducts Election Training

By Joy Richardson 

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Edo State chapter organised a crucial training session on Saturday at the John Oyegun Public Service Academy for its party agents in preparation for the upcoming governorship election on September 21.

The training focused on equipping agents with the necessary skills to collaborate effectively with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders during the election process.

During the session, PDP stressed the role of key stakeholders such as election officials, security personnel, observers, journalists, and voters in ensuring a smooth electoral process. The importance of ensuring that all procedures are followed to maintain the credibility of the election was highlighted.

A significant aspect of the training was the discussion on the replacement of card readers, which were reported to be prone to manipulation for election fraud.

As a result, the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) has been adopted for the election. The BVAS will help curb fraudulent practices and ensure more secure voter accreditation and result transmission.

Party agents were also briefed on their specific duties, which include setting up polling units, arranging voting cubicles, and managing the flow of the voting process. The voting will begin at 8:30 AM and end at 2:30 PM, although the closing time can be extended to 6:00 PM if voters are still in line by 2:30 PM.

The training also addressed how agents should guide voters in handling ballot papers and working closely with INEC officials.

A presentation was made on the BVAS technology, highlighting features such as improved IREV (INEC Result Viewing Portal), PDF reader, Wi-Fi reader, and the BVAS number system for retrieving voter information.