Amidst anxieties as Nigerians inch towards next year’s “make-or-mar’ general elections, the electoral umpire reassure of resolve not be biased no matter whose ox is gored
The Independent National Electoral Commission will not pander to the whims and caprices of anyone in the conduct of the 2023 elections.
This was just as the commission urged journalists to fight fake news with all their strengths as it has grace implications for the polity and the sanctity of electoral processes.
Speaking at the annual conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers in Lagos on Thursday, it’s chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu, said all the technologies put in place by the commission will ensure that no power can armtwist the commission to be partisan.
Speaking on the theme “2023 Elections: Managing The Process for Credible Outcome”, Mahmood said the credibility of the process for 2023 remain non-negotiable.The Independent National Electoral Commission will not pander to the whims and caprices of anyone in the conduct of the 2023 elections.
This was just as the commission urged journalists to fight fake news with all their strengths as it has grace implications for the polity and the sanctity of electoral processes.
Speaking at the annual conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers in Lagos on Thursday, it’s chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu, said all the technologies put in place by the commission will ensure that no power can armtwist the commission to be partisan.
Speaking on the theme “2023 Elections: Managing The Process for Credible Outcome”, Mahmood said the credibility of the process for 2023 remain non-negotiable.
The INEC boss said all technologies already put in place that ensure credibility of election would be fully deployed for the 2023 elections.
Mahmood said these would ensure that the commission does not pander to the whims and caprices of any political party or politicians.
He said instances where Incident Forms were used and abused before now has come to an end.
No Incident Form, the INEC boss added, would be used in 2023.
“There will be no incident forms again in Nigerian elections. The BIVAS has come to stay and the only way voters will be accredited for 2023. No other way.
Speaking further, Mahmood stated, “I wish to restate once again the commitment of INEC to credible elections. Votes will continue to count and will be the sole determinant of electoral outcome. For this reason, the Commission has introduced many new innovations, supported by the deployment of appropriate technology, to protect the sanctity of the choice made by Nigerians at the polls ranging from voter registration to voter accreditation and result management. The deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) with its dual fingerprint and facial biometric accreditation process has ensured that only genuine voters are accredited to vote during election. This has curtailed the incidence of multiple voting and other sharp practices associated with voter accreditation during elections.”