Ideato Group Raises Alarm Over Alleged Illegal BVAS Accreditation in Imo, Demands INEC Probe

The Ideato Progressive Alliance (IPA), a political watchdog in Ideato North Local Government Area of Imo State, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate an alleged unauthorised voter accreditation exercise reportedly conducted in some communities ahead of the 2027 elections.

The group alleged that individuals suspected to be INEC officials visited communities, including Urualla, late Wednesday and carried out an illegal accreditation exercise using electronic voting equipment.

In a statement sent to our correspondent, IPA President, Ferdinand Nwosu, said residents were allegedly asked to present their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), given ₦5,000 each and had their voter details collected. They were also reportedly instructed to thumbprint an electronic device identified by eyewitnesses as a Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machine.

Nwosu said the operation allegedly involved four vehicles. He added that the group had obtained video recordings of the incident and was making them available to the public as evidence requiring urgent investigation.

IPA described the alleged exercise as a serious threat to electoral credibility, insisting that no political officeholder, candidate, party or private individual had the authority to conduct voter accreditation using BVAS outside INEC-approved procedures.

The group expressed concern that the collection of voter information, distribution of money and alleged biometric capture could be intended to generate unauthorised accreditation records ahead of the January 16, 2027 elections.

It also warned that the alleged operation could compromise BVAS data, create discrepancies in future accreditation figures and provide grounds for electoral disputes. The alliance therefore called for an independent forensic examination of all BVAS devices scheduled for use in Ideato.

The group urged INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, to order an immediate and transparent investigation, establish the identities of those involved and clarify whether the operation had any official authorisation. It also called for an investigation into any electoral official whose involvement or complicity might be established.

IPA further asked the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services and other security agencies to identify those connected with the alleged operation, trace the four vehicles reportedly involved, preserve the video evidence and prosecute anyone found culpable.

The alliance also urged INEC to publicly explain the circumstances surrounding the alleged use of BVAS in the communities, warning that the commission’s equipment and authority must not be used in ways that undermine public confidence in elections.

It advised residents of Ideato to remain vigilant, protect their PVCs and report suspicious electoral activities to the appropriate authorities. The group also cautioned voters against surrendering their personal information or participating in accreditation exercises outside officially announced INEC procedures.

IPA maintained that it would continue documenting activities it considers threats to the electoral process, insisting that the 2027 election must reflect the freely expressed choice of voters in Ideato.