…. Says no need to legalize BVAS
By Gabriel Ewepu
ABUJA—ON the heels of the proposed electoral reforms, the Because Of Our Tomorrow, BOOT, Party, yesterday, warned that shifting 2027 general elections to November would not be ideal as it will terribly impact the electoral process and defeat the purpose.
The warning was contained in a statement signed by the National Chairman, BOOT party, Sonny Adenuga, where the party also raised other concerns on key issues proposed for reforms ahead of the elections.
The statement read in part, “Nigeria stands at a defining crossroads. Electoral reform is necessary, and technology can strengthen our democracy—but only when thoughtfully introduced, transparently tested, and backed by infrastructure that is resilient, secure, and professionally governed.
“Today, two major proposals are before the National Assembly: Shifting future general elections to November, and making electronic transmission of results by BVAS a legal mandate, rather than an operational guideline.
“These proposals are significant. Yet, in their current form, they carry risks capable of undermining electoral credibility rather than improving it—especially because the internet infrastructure required for electronic transmission is not controlled by INEC, the body responsible for elections.
“If we fail to address these technical, legal, and operational gaps, the proposed reforms may create a perfect storm of disenfranchisement, confusion, and contestation.
“November is still a flood-prone month: For southern and riverine states—Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, parts of Ondo and Lagos—the rainy season often extends into October and November. Floods regularly destroy roads, isolate communities, disrupt transport, and displace voters.
“Moving elections to November means: Polling materials may not reach thousands of polling units; BVAS devices may be exposed to moisture, power instability, and transport barriers; Entire local governments may be inaccessible on election day; and turnout could decline unevenly, creating regional disenfranchisement.”
The party also pointed out that that Early voting in the Bill excludes the Nigerian public, proposes special-day voting—but only for: Security personnel, INEC staff, essential workers
“This is not the early voting system used by countries that protect citizens from weather disruption.
The general electorate receives no early voting option. Thus, November elections could suppress turnout for millions while offering no compensatory early-voting mechanism.”
The party warned that the failure of BVAS in several elections has to be considered instead it should not be legalized as being proposed.
“In 2023, INEC introduced: BVAS for accreditation and result imaging; and IReV for result upload and public access. These were guidelines, not legal mandates.
“Yet the deployment saw outages; device failures; inconsistent network coverage; delayed uploads; and public distrust fueled by unclear technical explanations
“Instead of resolving these issues, the new bill proposes to elevate electronic transmission into law—binding the entire system to internet infrastructure that INEC does not own, control, secure, or manage”, and it described it as a “dangerous mismatch”, it pointed.
Meanwhile, the party said the BVAS being a mobile-based device depends on the reliable networks connectivity that is subject to these threats, saying that, “If the law mandates electronic transmission but does not mandate infrastructure obligations for NCC and Mobile Network Operators.
“Nigeria risks partial transmission; Network-based disenfranchisement in rural or flood-affected areas; Device manipulation or denial-of-service attacks; Legal crises from missing, late, or corrupted uploads; and a repeat or worse version of the 2023 credibility challenge.
“Electronic transmission cannot be guaranteed unless infrastructure providers are legally bound to provide the required uptime, security, and nationwide readiness”, the party stated.
However, part of the party’s call includes; A safer election date; Clear, enforceable obligations for all infrastructure providers; Transparent testing; Realistic timelines; and a credible system that Nigerians can trust.
Adding that, “Democracy is not strengthened by speed. Democracy is strengthened by reliability, fairness, and public confidence.”
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