The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that the collation of results of the 2023 general election would be transparent, as it would continue to upload polling unit results to its viewing portal as it did in Osun and Ekiti governorship elections.
The electoral umpire also assured that Nigerians would be involved at every inch of the process in terms of knowing what is going on at the various polling units through its processes and procedures.
Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu stated these during the public presentation of Yiaga Africa’s Watching The Vote report on the 2022 Governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun.
The report titled: “When electoral reforms deliver transparent elections” detailed some of the findings from the two governorship elections as observed by the civil society, Yiaga Africa.
Yakubu, who was represented by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Barr Festus Okoye, said: “This commission will continue to upload polling unit results to our INEC results viewing portal. This commission will not depart from it.
“The Nigerian people will be involved at every inch of the process in terms of knowing what is going on at the various polling units through our processes and procedures.
“We will continue to also manage the collation process transparently so that all Nigerians will also follow whatever we are doing we will not depart from all the good practices we have established.
“We plead for the understanding of Nigerians we plead for the cooperation of Nigerians because we recognise the fact that the 2023 election will be challenging, but we have the capacity, and we also have the courage to face those challenges in a very broad and courageous manner.
“So what we plead is the understanding of Nigerians as we move towards the decisive phase of the electoral process.”
Yakabu assure that the commission would be “bold and courageous in prosecuting the 2023 general elections.”
According to the INEC chairman, all the good practices deployed in prosecuting Ekiti and Osun elections under would be deployed for the prosecution of the 2023 general election.
He said: “Today (yesterday) the commission is here to listen and then learn valuable lessons from the perspectives and comments of those who observe the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections.
“But I want to seize this opportunity to assure Nigerians that this present commission will be bold and courageous in prosecuting the 2023 general elections.
“We are going to harvest and we will continue to harvest lessons from the Edo governorship election,the Ondo governorship election the Anambra governorship election, the Ekiti and the Osun governorship elections in shaping the way we approach the 2023 general election.
“We are going to harvest all the good practices, we are also going to look at some of those issues we did not do so well and we will improve on them.
“But our assurance is that this commission will not lower the bar and we are going to improve and we will continue to improve with every election.
“All the good practices we deployed in prosecuting the elections under review will also be deployed for the prosecution of the 2023 general election.
“We encourage civil society groups and organisations we encourage the media, political parties and all the critical stakeholders to study the Electoral Act 2022 to have a working knowledge of the provisions of the Electoral Act. The Electoral Act 2022 is different from the Electoral Act 2010 As amended.
“There are creative and innovative provisions that have been imputed into the Electoral Act 2022 That has changed the framework and dynamics of election management and result management in Nigeria.
“Unless we have a good knowledge of these documents, it will be very difficult for us to follow the trajectory of the electoral process and some of the innovations and some of the changes the commission will make and we will continue to make towards improving the character and content and context of elections.”
Board Chairman, Yiaga Africa, Hussaini Abdu noted that the new electoral Act is a major milestone in Nigeria’s journey to a more democratic and transparent electoral processes.
Abdu said there had been gradual improvement in the electoral process with the introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
He said: “We also saw a much better improvement also in Osun , but we recognise that despite some of these remarkable improvements that we’re seeing, it has helped in raising the hope of citizens.
“Citizens are beginning to believe that their votes will count and when you raise the hope of citizens it is always better that if you cannot improve on what you have done, then you must sustain it.”
(Nation)
About the Author
620881 949914There some intriguing points more than time here but I dont know if I see them all center to heart. There exists some validity but Let me take hold opinion until I look into it further. Really very good post , thanks and now we want more! Included with FeedBurner at the same time 623011