Fifty – two days to the first round of elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday strengthened its readiness for the 2023 general elections when it received the last batch of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation machines (BVAS).

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, on Wednesday disclosed this in a statement said the commission created four airport hubs in Abuja, Kano, Lagos, and Port Harcourt to facilitate the smooth delivery of the machines.

His words; “In furtherance of the preparations for the 2023 General Election, the Commission, yesterday, 3rd January 2023, received the last consignment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation machines with 52 days to the election.

“The Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, National Commissioners and senior officials of the Commission were at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, to receive the BVAS. Officials of the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company and airport security officials were at the airport to receive the INEC team.

“To facilitate the smooth delivery of the machines, the Commission created four airport hubs in Abuja, Kano, Lagos, and Port Harcourt. Over the last four months, several flights delivered the BVAS to the designated airports for movement to States of the federation ahead of the elections. With the arrival of the last flight in Abuja yesterday, the Commission has now taken delivery of the required number of the BVAS for all the polling units in the country and extra machines in line with our contingency provisions for all critical election materials.

“The Commission appreciates the support of all Nigerians in its determination to conduct free, fair, credible, transparent, and inclusive 2023 General Election facilitated by the deployment of technology.”

INEC Chairman, Prof Yakubu had in October at a meeting with the leadership of political parties in Abuja insisted that there is no going back on the deployment of BVAS for voter accreditation.

He also said the Commission would electronically transmit results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV)