INEC assured Nigerians of an electronic transmission of election results.
Over the last three electoral cycles, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has consistently adopted the use of technology to enhance and promote the credibility and safety of the electoral process in Nigeria. This method of electronic transmission of results was further intensified as a result of the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic to public safety, necessitating an inevitable quantum rise in remote and indirect, rather than direct and physical interactions during the electoral process.
On August 21, 2022, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) assured Nigerians of the electronic transmission of the results of the 2023 general elections, clarifying that it has not discarded it for the manual process. The National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, affirmed that the process for result transmission for the upcoming general elections does not change and would be similar with that of the recent Governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States.
A report quoted INEC as transmitting general election results manually.
The statement of the Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee was a reaction to a report that quoted the commission as saying that the transmission of results of the 2023 general elections will be done manually notwithstanding the adoption of the electronic transmission of results. The report birthed diverse negative reactions from the public; the former Vice President and current Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, also reacted to the report.
Atiku, through his spokesman, Daniel Bwala, claimed that the Independent National Electoral Commission is establishing a setting that supports the rigging of the 2023 general election through the manual process of the collation of results. In response to the allegation, Okoye asserted that there would be no difference in all future elections, and the 2023 general election would not be an exception. He also clarified that the commission’s explanation on the procedure of result management was only misinterpreted.
Electronic transmission of results will breed transparency.
He further added that the electronic transmission of results contributes to the transparency and credibility of the electoral process given that citizens follow polling unit-level results on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal in real time on the day of the election. Subsequent elections would also remain the same. Sections 60, 62 and 64 of the Electoral Act 2022, that was signed into law by the President on February 2, 2022, also provides the entire gamut of result management.
In addition, the commission, in April 2022, released a detailed clarification of the procedure for transmission, collation and declaration of results, in accordance with the provision of the law; the detailed clarification was shared with all stakeholders and was also uploaded to the commission’s website. All Nigerians are therefore urged by Okoye to get accustomed to the provisions of the Electoral Act and the detailed explanation of the commission concerning the procedure before reaching a conclusion.
The 2022 Electoral Act permits electronic transmission of election results.
The newly signed 2022 Electoral Act repeals the former Electoral Act No. 6, 2010 and is intended to bring innovations to the regulation of Federal, State and Area Council elections in Nigeria. It also accepts the use of electronic devices such as smart card readers, electronic voting machines and other technological devices in the accreditation process for voters and in the general conduct of elections. It likewise permits the provision for electronic transmission of election results, in line with the procedure determined by the commission.
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I’m in full support of the using of technology during the electoral process. It enhances and promotes the credibility and safety of the electoral process in the country. INEC assuring us it would be similar with that of the recent Governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States. I think they were brilliant election processes.
If INEC can assure us that the 2023 elections will be free from malpractice and anomalies then we should use and adopt the electronic way of sending results. At this political dispensation we are in, our democracy should be upheld through free and fair election.
Confusion are for those that wants to be confused if not lets wait and see as the drama unfold itself now, Nigeria and it’s election as usual.
If adopting this technology electoral process can make the election easy and simple which will not allow election malpractice to occur INEC should try their best and make this election fair and free and security should be provide so everything will go nice
The new introduced electronic transmission of election result will prevent any kind of rigging and ensure fair election. We look forward to 2023.
Adopting the use of technology in the electoral process is a good one. As it would prevent hijacking of ballot boxes and other forms of malpractice. Although, whichever way they choose to run the election, malpractice can still occur; servers can be hacked too. So we just need INEC to be as transparent and professional as possible.
That will be very good for us if good technology is being use on the election day. This will enhance and promote the credibility
I’m very sure with this new method of conducting elections, election results will be fair like the just concluded osun elections.
The Independent National Election Commission of Nigeria (INEC) would, via the use of technology, enhance and promote the credibility and safety of the electoral process in Nigeria.
The manual method of compiling election results should be abolished, it will give election riggers a good opportunity to rig the upcoming election.
INEC should just follow the process they used for osun state election, it was fair and peaceful, there was no way to rig the election.
This strategy of electronically transmitting test results was made even more prominent as a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which posed a significant risk to the general populace’s wellbeing.
The electronic transmission of results makes a contribution to the electoral process’s transparency and legitimacy, both of which are important to us as citizens.
This new strategy has to be the best strategy, this world is a tech world so
I believe Nigeria government has to advance this technological means has more advantage than the manual means
Before coming to a decision, Nigerians are advised to first familiarise themselves with the terms of the Electoral Act and the commission’s comprehensive explanation of the method. Only then should they form an opinion.
The pandemic required an inevitable quantum rise in remote and indirect encounters rather than direct and physical interactions throughout the electoral process. This decision by INEC turned out to be the best move they could have made under the circumstances.
This innovative approach used by INEC is fantastic for the country’s election process because it bolsters the process’s credibility and increases the level of safety it provides.
The new voting system is excellent since it also allows for the electronic transmission of election results in accordance with the method specified by the commission.
This manual inclusion in vote tramission is worrisome to me because at this level that vote can still be manipulated. The powerful can still influence the vote. With God I stand anyway.
This manual process alongside electronic vote tramission is a room given for manipulation of vote. It will be better if it only electronic process
The electronic transmission of results from INEC is well overdue and this will really affect the election landscape of Nigeria because the election will be free and fair.