INEC makes e-transmission permanent upon successful trials in Edo, Anambra, Ekiti, Osun
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Electronic transmission of election results from polling units will be permanent henceforth, to eliminate rigging, as seen in the successful test runs in Edo, Anambra, Ekiti, and Osun, says the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu made the pledge, acceding to the clamour for e-transmission by individuals and civil society groups leaning on the Electoral Act 2022.
Section 52(2) of Act says: “Subject to Section 63 of this bill, voting at an election and transmission of results under this bill shall be in accordance with the procedure determined by the commission (INEC), which may include electronic voting.”
Going forward, INEC would transmit election results electronically, Yakubu said when he hosted in Abuja a delegation of Media Trust Group (MTG) – owners of Daily Trust and Trust TV – who sought his buy-in on election debate.
MTG is organising a series of debates for presidential and governorship candidates, dubbed ‘Media Trust Nigeria Election Debate 2023’.
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e-transmission dates back to 2020, hastened by Covid
Yakubu told the delegation e-transmission of results from polling units (PUs) is now fully grafted into the electoral process, according to reporting by Daily Trust.
His words: “Yes, it is going to be permanent in all elections conducted by the commission going forward.
“But I wish to draw your attention to the fact that we did not start the electronic transmission, at least, from the polling units to the IReV Portal, in Anambra or FCT elections.
“It was actually in August 2020 that we deployed that for the Nasarawa Central State Constituency by-election, the first election conducted under COVID-19.
“So, if you look at the IReV Portal, you could see all the results from the 2020 to the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections and all the other by-elections we conducted.”
Yakuba disclosed there are 27 pending by-elections across the country and the INEC would conduct them when court cases and insecurity in some of the constituencies are resolved.
He promised the INEC would support debates organised by MTG to deepen issue-based campaign for the 2023 ballot.
He also cited debate plans by other organisations and said INEC officials would watch all the debates like other Nigerians.