BVAS Failures and Voter Harassment Mar Nigerian Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) faced widespread criticism on June 20, 2026, following systemic failures of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during elections in Ekiti and Nasarawa states. In the Ekiti gubernatorial election, Senator Babafemi Ojudu and PDP candidate Wole Oluyede reported that machine malfunctions caused severe delays in Ado-Ekiti and Ikere-Ekiti, with accreditation for single voters taking up to 30 minutes. Oluyede further alleged that security agents harassed voters near the Ikere City Hall, claiming a lack of technical support from the commission.

Concurrent senatorial by-elections in Nasarawa State saw similar technical collapses. Former Information Minister Labaran Maku reported that fingerprint capture failures left numerous voters stranded at the Wakama ward and Wamba polling units. Maku claimed some officials lacked necessary data and had to rely on volunteers, while also alleging ballot thumbprinting in Alushi and Wacho.

While the voting process was generally described as peaceful, Maku warned that the result collation phase often triggers violence. He criticized the Nigerian judiciary and electoral laws for favoring technicalities over transparency during election petitions. Ojudu urged the commission to either fix the machinery or revert to manual voting to prevent the disenfranchisement of citizens.