The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says that the results of the 2023 general elections would be transmitted electronically.
INEC made the clarification while reacting to a report that quoted the commission as saying the collation of results of the 2023 general elections will be done manually despite the adoption of electronic transmission of results.
The commission said that the reports that it has abandoned the electronic transmission of results as seen in the recent elections were not true. The report had generated negative reactions and backlash from Nigerians.
The Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar. accused the commission of rigging plans. ”INEC is laying the foundation for the rigging of the 2023 elections,” he said through his spokesman, Daniel Bwala.
National Commissioner and Chairman of, the Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, made the clarification in a statement, on Sunday.
Okoye said the procedure for result transmission for the 2023 polls remains the same as in recent Governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States.
Noting that the commission’s explanation on the result management procedure was interpreted to mean that the Commission has jettisoned the electronic transmission of results and reverted to the manual process.
“This is not correct, he said.
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Okoye added: “For clarity, the procedure for result transmission remains the same as in recent Governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States. There will be no change in all future elections, including the 2023 General Election.
“We wish to reassure Nigerians that the electronic transmission of results has come to stay. It adds to the credibility and transparency of the process when citizens follow polling unit-level results on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal in real time on Election Day. There will be no change or deviation in subsequent elections.
“The entire gamut of result management is provided for in Sections 60, 62 and 64 of the Electoral Act 2022. In line with the provision of the law, the Commission, in April this year, released a detailed clarification of the procedure for transmission, collation and declaration of results which was shared with all stakeholders and uploaded to our website.
“We appeal to all Nigerians to avail themselves of the provisions of the Electoral Act and the Commission’s detailed explanation of the procedure and not reach a conclusion on the basis of media headlines.”
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.
