2023: INEC counters Okoye, says electronic result transmission remains

• As Okoye’s interview triggers reactions
• Atiku kicks, calls manual collation recipe for rigging

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has explained that it has not jettisoned the electronic transmission of result.

The commission pointedly declared that it is completely incorrect that it has 

reverted to the manual process of collation of results of elections.

The explanation came yesterday barely 24 hours after an interview granted by an INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye, to the effect that the Commission has jettisoned the electronic transmission of result and reverted to the manual process.

Okoye was quoted in the interview as saying that there is a marked difference between the transfer/transmission of results and the collation of results, adding that section 50(2) of the Electoral Act, 2022 gives the commission the absolute discretion to determine the mode and procedure of voting in an election and the transmission of election results.

However, INEC in its statement yesterday, which was also signed by Okoye, declared that the claim of reverting back to manual processing of election result in the next year’s general elections is absolutely not correct.

For the purpose of clarity, INEC categorically assured that the procedure for result transmission remains the same as in recent Governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States. 

It stressed that there will be no change in all future elections, including the 2023 General Election.

The Commission reassured Nigerians that the electronic transmission of result has come to stay. 

The entire gamut of result management, according to the commission, is provided for in Sections 60, 62 and 64 of the Electoral Act 2022. 

According to the statement by Okoye “The Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) 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. “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.

“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”, it concluded.

While however reacting to the earlier interview by Barrister Okoye, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar alleged that with such a statement (from Okoye), INEC is laying the foundation for the rigging of the 2023 elections.

Atiku, who reacted through one of his spokespersons, Barrister Daniel Bwala yesterday, declared that going by what Okoye said, it means that they (INEC) is creating the room and possibility for somebody to manipulate the result without prejudice to the counting and the result as announced at the unit.

According to Atiku, “INEC is laying the foundation for the rigging of the 2023 elections.

“Section 60 is clear. At the close of voting at the polling unit, the voting results will be uploaded, meaning that by the time the officer from the unit goes to the ward, he cannot present a result different from the one that was uploaded, which every voter can have access to it. 

“And the same thing applies to the local government and the state, because there is evidence you have sent it to a server where it cannot be manipulated.

“By what Okoye said it means they are creating the room and possibility for somebody to manipulate the result without prejudice to the counting and the result as announced at the unit.

“And where there is a conflict, that reliance will be placed on the manual collation. In other words, they are trying to go around the provisions of the Electoral Act to take us back to where we are coming from.

“Sadly, they are trying to find a solution where there is no problem because this same electronic upload and transmission has been done in Anambra, Ekiti, in Edo and Osun and they were successful, that procedure has not been challenged. 

“If you go to court all the challenges in court were around certificates of individual and whether that individual is qualified or not. But that procedure has worked. 

“So, why are you trying to fix something that is not broken? It means something is fishy, we smell a coffee. And that’s why we’re calling all well meaning Nigerians and lovers of democracy in Nigeria and beyond to raise their voice and speak with one voice. 

“There must be strict compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act with respect to electronic upload and transmission of result, without prejudice to what INEC is thinking about bringing.

“We must never try to change the procedure that has worked in these states mentioned. It must be free, it must be transparent. 

“We don’t want litigation. We want the voice and the will of the people to prevail in Nigeria”, he said.