ADSU International Journal of Applied Economics, Finance and Management

The Impact Of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) On The Conduct Of Credible  Elections In Nigeria: A Case  Study Of 2023 General Elections In Adamawa North Senatorial District

Abstract

The research evaluates the Impact of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) on The Conduct of Credible Elections in Nigeria with emphasis on the 2023 General Elections in Adamawa – North Senatorial District. Bimodal Voters Accreditation System is a Technology Innovated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deployed to mitigate electoral fraud, enhance integrity and restore public confidence in the electoral process. The study aimed to evaluate the reliability of BVAS Technology during the 2023 general elections, to identify strategies for sustaining Accreditation Technology in future Elections in Adamawa Senatorial District in particular and Nigeria at large and to analyze the advantages and challenges of deploying BVAS in the 2023 elections process particularly in Adamawa North Senatorial District. The study adopted Martin Hagen’s E-Democracy Theory and Everett Rogers Information Diffusion Theory to explain the application of BVAS Technology in Nigerian Elections. The research adopted descriptive research design. Both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection and analysis was utilized. The primary data was collected using self-structured questionnaire and Key Informant Interview (KII). The data collected through questionnaire was tabulated and analyzed using the simple percentage and frequency as descriptive technique. The results show a highly significant impact of BVAS on the credibility of 2023 Elections. Specifically, the BVAS effectively ensured the accuracy of voter accreditation in the 2023 General Elections, enhanced the overall credibility of the elections. It was found out that about 95% of the eligible voters were successfully accredited. But the BVAS was faced with technical issues which includes in ability of the BVAS to verify some voter’s cards and inability to recognize either the fingerprint or facial architecture of some voters. It was concluded that, the people showed positive sentiments towards BVAS, indicating a high level of satisfaction with its accuracy, efficiency, and transparency in the electoral process. The research recommended that all stakeholders should provide Continuous Training and Capacity Building; Robust Technical Support and Maintenance; Enhanced Cybersecurity Measures; Stakeholder Collaboration and Feedback Mechanism; Public Awareness and Education Campaigns; Infrastructure and Technological Improvement; Pilot Testing and Incremental Roll-out; Policy and Regulatory Framework and a Reliable Voters.