Election Rigging Will Become Almost Impossible With Introduction Of Technology-INEC Chair
LAGOS NOVEMBER 26TH (NEWSRANGERS)-Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Wednesday in Lagos, has disclosed that election rigging has become a thing of the past with the use of technology.
Speaking at an interactive session with online Publishers, Yakubu, who called for a stronger INEC/Media partnership to foster strong democratic Nigeria, said that the task of deepening Nigeria’s democracy was a collective duty.
He explained that all hitches noticed in the deployment of
Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) during Anambra Governorship election,
had been responded to, ahead of future elections.
“The size of our voter population and elective institutions make elections in
Nigeria a huge undertaking. This fact is better appreciated within our regional
context.
“There are 15 countries in West Africa today, including Nigeria.
“However, with the current voters population of over 84 million, Nigeria has
about 11 million more registered voters than the other 14 countries put
together which have 73.6 million registered voters.
“Conducting a general election in Nigeria is like holding an election in West
Africa and beyond.
Elections are held all year round between one general election and another
with no respite,” he said.
Yakubu, who outlined the duties of INEC, said that the statutory
responsibilities of INEC made it both an election management body and electoral
commission.
Expressing INEC’s determination to deepen the use of technology and reduce
human intervention in the critical stages of the electoral process, Yakubu said
that technology was the way to go in the electoral management system.
He said that the commission had introduced several innovations to improve
elections like the submission of nomination forms through a portal.
The chairman added that the new INEC Voter Enrollment Device (IVED) performs a
variety of functions including physical registration of voters, fingerprint and
facial authentication on election day.
“The goal is to boost the quality of Nigeria’s democracy,” he said.
Yakubu said that IVED, which was also used for uploading the polling unit
results in sheets to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal, was equally used
for BVAS during elections to engender integrity and transparency in the
electoral process.
“Before our own eyes, things are changing.
The way to go is to continue to deepen the use of technology in elections.
Be rest assured we will continue to do so. We have responded to the glitches in
Anambra immediately.
“There were no challenges reported during the supplementary election in Ihiala
Local Government held on Nov. 9; I want to reassure Nigerians that we have
learned vita lessons from the Anambra pilot.
“There will be a remarkable improvement in the next major election. We want to
assure you that in the subsequent election, you will see the wonders of BVAS,”
he said.
According to him, the commission has registered 4.2 million Nigerians online
while 1.8 million have completed their registration in the ongoing nationwide
Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
The chairman, who urged the media to work with the commission to fight the
scourge of fake news capable of undermining electoral system, said that “the
greatest antidote to fake news is greater transparency”.
“One major area where we need your help is in containing fake news.
“Quite often, those who try to undermine the electoral system and their
sympathisers take advantage of free social media space, and sometimes even the
traditional media, to advance their interests and spread falsehood.
“They can cook up wild allegations against the commission and/or its officials
to frustrate a good policy which they perceive as inimical to their selfish
interest.
“When such allegations get to you, please thoroughly investigate,” Yakubu said.
On direct primary clause in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021, Yakubu said
that the commission would give expeditious consideration to the law, including
the detailed regulations and guidelines for its implementation where necessary,
when the bill becomes a law.
In his opening remarks, Mr Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and
Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), said that reporting
elections required skills, urging the media to always seek classification on
germane issues.
He said that the meeting was part of the INEC continued strategic engagement
with media aimed at a better understanding of the commission’s processes and
procedures.
Okoye, who noted that elections and electoral processes had their dynamics,
said that the work of INEC had national security implementation, hence
reporting elections needed to be handled with the eye of conflict sensitivity
and national peace and cohesion.
“Reporting election requires special skills and understanding of the centrality
of elections to Nigeria’s survival as a federal democracy.
“One false report that goes viral may have the potential of triggering a
breakdown of law and order.
“It is in the interest of the country for the media to always seek for an
official clarification on germane and serious national issues, especially when
electoral matters are involved,” he said.
In a goodwill message, the Executive Director of the International Press Center
(IPC) Mr. Lanre Arogundade, said the interactive session would enable the
commission and media to review the mistake of the past and set agenda for 2023
general elections.
Arogundade, who commended INEC for its continued efforts to improve the
nation’s electoral system, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the
Electoral Amended Bill before 2023 General Election.
In his goodwill message, Dr Akin Akingbulu, the Executive Director, Institute
for Media and Society (IMS), who noted that free, fair and credible elections
were central to the building of democracy, said the media roles were indispensable
in the electoral process and democracy.
Ms Maureen Chigbo, the President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers
(GOCOP) and the Publisher of Realnews, who commended INEC for the conduct of
Anambra governorship election, urged the commission to improve BVAS before 2023
election.
Chigbo, who assured INEC of the group’s continual support ahead of 2023
general elections, said that GOCOP had about 81 members.
In his welcome address, Mr Sam Olumekun, the INEC Resident Electoral
Commissioner, Lagos, who commended the media for the “tremendous” support to
INEC, said that the meeting was historic, crucial and relevant to get
feedbacks.
Olumekun solicited more publicity for INEC’s activities, especially mobilising
qualified citizens to get registered in the ongoing Continuous Voter
Registration exercise, so that people would not wait until the last minute.
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Posted by News Rangers
on Nov 26 2021. Filed under National.
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