NBA wants INEC to adopt electronic machines in future polls

The group however commended the commission for the smooth conduct of last Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State, which it adjudged free, fair and credible.
The group in its report on the Osun State Governorship Election released yesterday and signed by its chairman, Dafe Akpedeye (SAN) said since INEC had the capacity to use the EVM, it should deploy it in future elections.
The incumbent governor, Rauf Aregebsola, who was the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), defeated the candidates of 19 other parties to emerge winner in the election.
“INEC should move towards the use of Electronic Voting Machines for elections, as INEC has indicated that it has the capacity to use such process, which it used to collate results in the collating centers,” the group said.
The NBA also asked the commission to accelerate the process of constituency delineation to avoid a situation where polling booths were located in unpleasant places.
“Some of the Polling Units are located in front of or too close to residential buildings despite the availability of schools and other public places near such dwellings,” they said.
“The location of some of these polling units in front of or very proximate to people’s houses does not make for secrecy of the votes and independent electoral action by the voters. It is important to move such polling stations away from residential accommodation and awkward locations to schools and public places.”