By Harry Awurumibe, Editor Abuja Bureau
For the umpteenth time, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured the nation that it has the capacity and technical knowledge to undertake electronic transmission of election results in Nigeria.
This is even as the Commission has called on the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives to quickly amend Sections 63, 65 and other relevant Sections of the Electoral Act which limits INEC to Collate Election Results in an elections electronically.
The electoral umpire made this known on Monday through Barrister Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education while speaking on Channels Television breakfast programme Sunrise Daily.
According to Okoye, INEC is very determined to use electronic devices to improve Nigeria’s electoral processes which will dovetail into delivering a free, fair and credible elections which will deepen the country’s democracy.
But he argued that for that to become a reality, the National Assembly (NASS) must show courage at this time of Nigeria’s national development by amending the relevant Sections of the Electoral Act as it concerns the method of conducting credible elections.
Said he: “Although INEC is increasingly tilting towards the use of technology to deliver a free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria, we want the National Assembly to amend the law which prescribed the method elections are being conducted at the moment”.
Okoye admitted that INEC is still using manual method which was enshrined in the
Electoral Act by collating election results from the Polling Units (PU) using Form EC8A and Registration Area Collation Centre (RACC) with Form EC8B up to Local Government Areas (LGA) using Form EC8C to collate results which are computed manually before announcement.
He however said INEC has perfected the use of technology to conduct elections in Nigeria but will want NASS to alter Sections 63 and 65 of the Electoral Act to allow the Commission the use of technology to conduct elections starting from 2023 General Elections.
“For us to alter the methodology, the Electoral Act must be changed to accommodate the new innovations. We want NASS to amend the Electoral Act to enable INEC deliver a more transparent, fair and credible elections that will meet the aspirations of Nigerians. They should also look at 51, 52, 53 and 57 of the Electoral Act too”.
“We are already uploading election results electronically but we will need the relevant Sections of the Electoral Act to be amended to avoid litigations because INEC don’t want our election winners to be determined by the law courts”, the INEC top official said.
Meanwhile, Okoye has said that contrary to the notion that the Commission is answerable to the Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) or any other federal government organ before carrying out its constitutional duties, INEC has inherent powers to conduct elections in Nigeria in any manner it wants.
According to him: “Nobody can bully INEC to share its powers given by the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria of Nigeria.
Section 160 of Nigerian Constitution mandates INEC to give NCC duties to perform not NCC giving INEC orders”.
“Also, Section 52 of Electoral Act gives INEC inherent powers to conduct elections in any manner it wants including e-voting.
Again, the 2015 Electoral Act (Amended) which was signed by former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan has given INEC unfettered powers to conduct elections in the best method available”.
He insists that the present method of
manual collation of election results from PU, RACC and LGA should be done away with in Nigeria of 2021, adding that “with the introduction of Biomodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and other devices by INEC elections in Nigeria can only get better hence NASS should join in deepening Nigeria’s democracy”.
