Don’t Over Rely On Technology, Lawyers Caution INEC, Nigerians

Lawyers have urged Nigerians and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), not to over rely on technology in the forthcoming general elections.

They spoke yesterday at a round table dialogue session on the Electoral Act 2022 organised by Yiaga Africa and Hamu Legal.

The legal practitioners said technology can fail, adding that INEC,  legal practitioners and other interested parties must get forensic experts in case the technology fails and the issue is taken to court.

A constitutional lawyer, Mohamed Awwal Musa said the Osun gubernatorial battle in the court simply tells Nigerians that technology can fail.

“There are different types of electoral disputes. But electronic voting has changed the kind of disputes we might be experiencing in the 2023 general elections.

“Over voting used to be votes cast more than the registered voters. Now, if the vote is more than the accredited voters, that is over voting.

“Counting from what happened in Osun State, there is the need to reexamine the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS),” Musa said.

Also, another constitutional lawyer, Kayode Ajulo, said that the BIVAS is a good way to improve election transparency, assuring Nigerians that it will work in the 2023 general elections.

Speaking, an IT expert who is also the director, public policy initiative at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Foundation, Amara Nwankpa, said many people advancing technology in elections don’t even know how it works.