2027 Elections: Atiku Questions INEC Over BVAS Running on Android 10

ABUJA — Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed concern over reports that Nigeria’s Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is still operating on Android version 10, warning that the alleged use of outdated software could create cybersecurity and operational challenges ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Atiku, who is the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, raised the issue following reported problems during the mock accreditation exercise conducted in Osun State on August 1, 2026.

His concerns also followed comments by INEC Director of ICT, Dr Lawrence Bayode, during an appearance on Arise TV on Monday. Bayode reportedly said the BVAS, introduced into Nigeria’s electoral system in 2021, currently runs on Android version 10.

Paul Ibe shared Atiku’s concerns on his Facebook handle on Tuesday.

In a statement released by his Media Office in Abuja, Atiku said Android 10 reached its end-of-life status in 2023 and no longer receives regular security patches and updates.

He questioned the decision to continue running an important component of the electoral system on what he described as an outdated operating system.

Atiku also questioned why INEC had not upgraded the BVAS software before the 2027 elections, particularly given the commission’s substantial budget. He said the upcoming off-cycle elections, including the Osun governorship election, could have provided an opportunity to test an upgraded version.

The ADC presidential candidate described INEC’s approach to the BVAS issue as “suspicious” and warned that it could have implications for the credibility and integrity of Nigeria’s elections.

He explained that vulnerabilities in an outdated operating system could potentially be exploited by cybercriminals seeking unauthorised access to BVAS devices, including possible interference with voter accreditation records or polling unit result data before transmission.

Atiku also raised questions about the security of polling unit results transmitted through public telecommunications networks to the IReV portal.

He warned that outdated security and cryptographic components could leave transmitted data vulnerable to attempts to intercept, block or manipulate information between polling units and the result-viewing platform.

The former Vice President further questioned the resilience of BVAS biometric systems, which use fingerprint and facial recognition to verify voters.

He argued that an outdated biometric framework could affect accuracy and make the technology more vulnerable to attempts to bypass its verification procedures.

Atiku also warned that legacy software could develop defects or experience crashes under heavy usage, potentially resulting in delays during voter accreditation.

He backed calls from cybersecurity experts for an independent and comprehensive audit of the BVAS hardware and software before the 2027 elections.

According to Atiku, running critical national infrastructure on an end-of-life operating system could create an expanded attack surface and expose Nigeria’s electoral process to avoidable cybersecurity risks.

The statement was signed by the Atiku Media Office, Abuja, on August 11, 2026.

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