Tunji Wusu –
All critical and non-sensitive materials utilized for the general election of 2023, according to Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), were printed in Nigeria.
Yakubu made this statement on Monday in Abuja during the commission’s quarterly consultation with the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) over the ongoing review of the general election of 2023.
“I am happy to announce that Nigerian printers printed all critical and non-sensitive materials for the 2023 General Election.
“This important step has finally been taken and accomplished for the first time in 44 years since the switch to democratic administration in 1979.
Despite a record number of 93.4 million registered voters and more than 500 million ballots, result sheets, and other documents for the five categories of the main elections and supplementary elections, this is true.
For the first time in the previous four voting cycles, the 2023 General Election was held as planned without a postponement brought on by the non-arrival of materials, Yakubu added.
The repeal and re-enactment of the Electoral Act 2010 into the Electoral Act 2022, he continued, allowed INEC the opportunity to prepare on time. This is another beneficial election-related development.
The new act, according to the chairman, gives political parties 180 days to finish their primaries and submit the names of their candidates and political parties for the elections.
This, in his opinion, also aided INEC in starting the process of creating the election materials on schedule.
Furthermore, for the first time since the initial delimitation exercise in 1996, we were also able to increase voter access to polling places.
“In a same vein, we implemented a number of technological advances, such as the INEC Voter Enrollment Device (IVED)’s physical and online pre-registration of voters, as well as the numerous portals for the nomination of candidates, party agents, and the accreditation of observers and the media.
“We also gathered and published information on the distribution of voters by handicap in addition to age and occupation.
For specific categories of voters with disabilities, he added, “we also tried to provide such inclusivity materials as braille jackets and magnifying glasses within the confines of available resources.”
Yakubu noted that despite this, there were numerous difficulties before and during the elections, including dire fuel and cash shortages as well as widespread, ongoing instability.
“The behavior of some of our own officers in the field, along with their impact on our deployment plans, made logistical management exceptionally difficult.
“Some political actors’ use of thugs made election day administration challenging in a number of places,” he claimed.
The chairman stated that although the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) was very effective at voter accreditation, there was a problem when results were uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), particularly for the presidential election.
This was clarified, according to Yakubu, in the statement the commission issued on February 26. He also said that INEC is aware that the topic is currently the subject of litigation, thus the commission will hold its remarks for the time being.
“However, the effectiveness of the technology used for the election is currently being evaluated for the general election in 2023.
“It will be a significant component of the comprehensive report that will serve as a springboard for further engagement with stakeholders focusing on specific actions required for the improvement of future elections and electoral activities in Nigeria,” he said.
