Electronic Transmission Of Results Will Reduce Electoral Fraud- Wike
The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has said if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) adopts electronic transmission of results, electoral fraud will be reduced.
Wike stated this Tuesday while fielding questions from reporters in Port Harcourt. His comments follow the Senate’s decision that INEC has the sole power to determine the transmission mode of results.
Wike lauded NASS describing its decision as a welcome development, adding that the process would be a trust in the nation’s electoral system that would also reduce election litigations.
However, he called on the National Assembly not to decide for political parties the method it will adopt in conducting their primary election as been recommended in some clauses in the Electoral Act Repeal and Re-Enactment bill.
“Now that the result will be transmitted electronically, no way for rigging,” he said. “Only those who support rigging are against results to be transmitted electronically.
“If any politician believes that they have done well for the people, you will know that that politician will not be afraid and will say ‘whichever way you want to transmit the result, I am available for it, but I want it to be transparent.
“I want people to have confidence in the electoral system to help INEC so that nobody goes to attack INEC officials.”
The Governor noted that parties could adopt a strategy for elective positions stressing that the National Assembly should not decide whether to use direct or indirect primary.
He added that as a nation that practices democracy, the primary mode should be the political parties discretion.
NASS decision followed the Senate’s earlier reversal of INEC, considering the electronic transmission of results “provided national [network] coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure” by the Nigerian Communications Commission and approved by the National Assembly.
However, under a new amendment of Clause 52 (2) of the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, the Senate resolved that “voting at an election and transmission of results under this Bill shall be by the procedure determined by the Commission, which may include electronic voting”.
