Media report last week to the effect that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced replacing manual voting with automated voting system portends a good omen for the nations evolving democracy.
The initiative, besides being the right foot forward towards instiuting free, fair, credible and acceptable elections in the country, will also satisfy the curiousity and clamour for electoral reforms, for which electronic voting is paramount.
INEC National Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who made the disclosure in Abuja penultimate Monday, assured that the ommission has taken another decisive step towards the full automation of the electoral process. He said INEC has invited manufacturers of electronic voting machines around the world to practically demonstrate how the machines work, preparatory to full migration.
He said: “After extensive discussion and review, the commission took the decision to invite original manufacturers of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) around the world for a virtual or practical demonstration of the machines. Over the years, the commission has been automating the critical pillars of the process. The biometric register of voters has been updated continuously. At the moment, the INEC register of voters is the largest data base of citizens in Nigeria.
“In addition, the combination of biometric voters’ cards, commonly known as the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) and the Smart Card Reader (SCR), have revolutionised the accreditation of voters during elections. More recently, the introduction of a number of portals has facilitated the seamless nomination of candidates for elective offices by political parties as well as the accreditation of observers and the media.
“Most significantly, the commission now uploads polling unit level results in real-time on election day to a portal for public view. These are significant innovations that have deepened the transparency and credibility of elections and the electoral process in Nigeria”.
It is instructive that the nation’s chief electoral umpire had in May this year said it will introduce electronic voting (e-voting) in off-season elections starting in 2021. This is contained in a 17-page “Policy on Conducting Elections in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic” released in Abuja and signed by the INEC chairman.
The policy covers health and legal issues, election planning and operations, election day and post-election activities, voter registration, political parties, election observation, electoral security and deployment of technology in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“… Continue to make available its electronic channels for voters to check their registration status. Pilot the use of Electronic Voting Machines at the earliest possible time (not Edo and Ondo), but work towards the full introduction of electronic voting in major elections starting from 2021,” the document stated.
It said infrared thermometers would be used at the various collation centres, alcohol-based hand sanitizers at the polling units for election officials; while methylated spirit and cotton wool would be provided for the disinfection of the smart card readers after the fingerprint of each voter is read.
It said it would reassess existing security threats across the states and the implications of Covid-19, develop locally focused plans for election security deployments. It added that it would engage with relevant authorities, including the National Assembly, to designate election as an essential service due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This, the commission said, would enable it function effectively in times of national emergency.
In a reaction, the Executive Director, Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, who is a major statekeholder in Nigeria’s electoral process, described the introduction of electronic voting as commendable. He, however, said that with Nigerian environment where there is infrastructural decay, lack of high technology to drive electronic voting, the nation needs to be careful.
“There is need to take into consideration all the challenges with card reader machine before delving into electronic voting which requires sophisticated technology to operate,” Zikirullahi said.
On her part, Director, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Idayat Hassan, said INEC had done exceptionally well in coming up with an elaborate manual for the forthcoming elections and warned that this plan must be strictly implemented.
“CSOs and INEC must prioritise voter education as elections held during Covid-19 in other parts of the world have recorded low voter turnout. For instance, the French Municipal election in March recorded a voter turnout of just 46 per cent compared to a previous 64 per cent in her last polls; low voter turnout was also witnessed in Mali and Guinea in their recent elections. There must be strict law enforcement, anybody that disrupts electoral operations by making threats or creating risks,” she said.
Blueprint commends INEC, particularly its chairman, who has since his assumption of office as the nation’s chief electoral ombudsman, demonstrated a very high level of commitment at deepening Nigeria’s democracy and fine-tuning the electoral process to make the political parties to play by the rules as well as making each vote count.
The recently concluded governorship election in Edo state is an ample demonstration of INEC’s resolve at deepening Nigeria’s electoral system. We, therefore, urge INEC to replicate the same feat in this weekend’s governorship election in Ondo state as well as all subsequent elections in the country.
