EDITION 2 | FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2026
Topic: The BVAS Question Nobody Is Asking
Nigeria got an extension.
INEC has pushed the physical CVR deadline beyond July 10 to July 26. We thank INEC for listening.
More days means more registrations. More registrations mean more voices in 2027.
Now, let’s use the time wisely.
Because time without trust is wasted. And trust in 2027 will be decided by one thing.
THE BVAS QUESTION NOBODY IS ASKING
Everyone is asking: “Will BVAS work on election day?”
That’s the wrong question.
The right question is: _“What happens to the data 30 seconds after BVAS uploads it to IReV?”_
Here’s why that 30 seconds decides 2027:
1. Upload is not the end. It’s the beginning.
BVAS can upload perfectly. But if IReV has no public audit trail, no timestamp, and no way for citizens and parties to download polling unit results in real time, then we are back to 2019. Trust dies in the gap between upload and viewing.
2. Transparency must be by design, not by press release.
Nigerians don’t need promises. We need access. Every accredited citizen, observer, and party agent should be able to see the scanned EC8A from their PU the moment it hits IReV. No passwords. No delays. Sunlight in real time.
3. Testing must happen before September, not in February.
INEC must run a nationwide mock transmission with real BVAS units, real networks, and real observers in September. Not a demo in Abuja. A stress test in rural LGAs with poor network. Let us see the failure points now, while we can fix them.
The Danger
We can have 40 million new PVCs and still lose credibility if 1 result is “missing” from IReV on election night. The 2023 lesson wasn’t about machines. It was about confidence.
Our Call to INEC and CSOs:
1. Publish the IReV protocol – How data is received, stored, and displayed.
2. Open the API – Let tech groups build tools to monitor uploads live.
3. Commit to the September test – Invite the public. Film it. Publish the report.
Your Action This Week:
1. Register if you haven’t. Use the extension.
2. Ask your rep – “What is INEC’s plan for real-time IReV access?” Make them answer.
3. Join as an observer – We need eyes in every LGA when the test comes.
We cannot digitize elections and analogize trust.
Next Friday: The 774 Structure – How One Trained Agent Per Polling Unit Can Save 2027.
We’ll break down the recruitment, training, and welfare plan ALO is proposing.
With respect, integrity, and commitment to electoral credibility,
Engr. Dotun Sasore,
DG, ALO.