2023: INEC insists on electronic transmission of election results

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that electronic transmission of result has come to stay in all elections.

INEC said that the process adds credibility and transparency to the electoral system in Nigeria.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, disclosed this on Sunday in Abuja in a statement clarifying a media report that said INEC will not use e-transmission in 2023 election.

Okoye said INEC’s attention has been drawn to a misunderstanding arising from a recent short interview granted to a national newspaper on the procedure for result management during elections.

He said: “Some have interpreted the explanation on result management procedure to mean that the Commission has jettisoned the electronic transmission of result and reverted to the manual process. This is not correct.

“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 result 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 on real-time on Election Day. There will be no change or deviation in subsequent elections.”

He said that the electronic transmission has basis in the 2022 Electoral Act and urged Nigerians to acquaint themselves with the provisions of the law.

“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 result 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.”