Nigeria’s electoral body regrets slow transmission of results on portal
By Wangu KanuriNigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regrets that relaying of the presidential results is ‘slow and unsteady’ owing to technical hitches witnessed in its Viewing Portal (IReV).
INEC explained the setback was related to the scaling up of the IReV from off-season to managing nationwide general elections.
The INEC chair Festus Okoye noted it is not unusual for glitches to occur and be corrected in such situations.
“The commission wishes to assure Nigerians that the challenges are not due to any intrusion or sabotage of our systems and that the IReV remains well-secured,” read part of their statement.
Additionally, Mr Okoye said the results from the polling unit copies of which were issued to political parties were safe on both the BVAS and the IReV portal.
“These results cannot be tampered with and any discrepancy between them and the physical results used in collation will be thoroughly investigated and remediated in line with Section 65 of the Electoral Act of 2022.”
96 million registered candidates were cleared to vote during the country’s polls on February 24, 2023.
There have been reports of unrest and disturbances but no candidate has claimed rigging as yet.
Former President Uhuru Kenyatta is among the observers of the elections.
Peter Obi is considered the front-runner in the race to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
A candidate needs to have the most votes and 25 percent of ballots cast in two-thirds of Nigeria’s 36 states to be declared the winner. Otherwise, there will be a run-off within 21 days – a first in Nigeria’s history.
Nigeria is Africa’s biggest economy, powered by oil exportation, a savvy human resource, and talented sports athletes but the nation has been bogged down by a lack of basic amenities such as electricity, road network, and security.
Incidentally, Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) faced the same challenges as INEC but its former chairman Wafula Chebukati insisted nobody managed to hack the portal.
Azimio party leader Raila Odinga claimed the portal was hacked and forms containing presidential results removed and fresh ones uploaded but Supreme Court dismissed the claim upholding President William Ruto’s win.
Additionally, Smartmatic International, the company procured by IEBC to provide technology for the August 9th General Election said they could not open all the servers owing to infringement on their property rights.