Since the inception of democracy, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been working tirelessly to improve the process by which election is conducted in Nigeria using technology.
Despite the commission’s efforts, it has conducted six general elections manually, out of which only two were said to be free of irregularities; and that was from 1999 to 2019.
Nonetheless, INEC has introduced reforms to have a stable democratic process by conducting free, fair and credible elections in 2023. The commission has introduced the electronic transmission of results in the forthcoming elections. The idea is expected to bring changes to the nation’s electoral process.
There is, therefore, the need for the commission to embark on the sensitization of voters for the smooth conduct of the exercise.
Worries are that, a large chunk of the voters residing in rural areas are not technically oriented as such they may hardly understand without orientation.
Similarly, the issue of party agents, who will be deployed by the various political parties to monitor the process is another factor requiring the sensitization of voters. Previously, cases of electoral malpractice were recorded hugely in the various polling units because of lack of knowledge and cooperation from the agents of the various political parties which eventually led to the annulment of the election.
Therefore, it is good for INEC to sensitise voters and agents, among others, to have a free and fair election that we have been yearning for, for decades in Nigeria.
Doing so will provide a clear understanding of how the election is conducted and make the electorate have confidence in the leaders elected.
Mohammed Yusuf, Department of Mass Communication, Borno State University
