INEC Advised By Group To Implement Election Audit Procedures

INEC Advised By Group To Implement Election Audit ProceduresA group known as the Nigerian Intellectual Forum has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct both pre- and post-election audits. The organization believes these audits could drive amendments to the Electoral Act and improve Nigeria’s electoral processes.

During a media briefing in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Mr. Soala Jumbo, the Forum’s Director General, emphasized the need for this audit in light of irregularities noted during the use of the Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the 2023 Bayelsa governorship election.

Jumbo alleged that INEC disabled a key feature of the BVAS, which hampers the transmission of results. He explained that the BVAS has three critical features: voter accreditation, capturing photographs of results at polling units, and the ability to transmit the number of accredited voters directly to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). This third feature would allow for a direct comparison between the number of accredited voters and the results reported.

He pointed out discrepancies, such as one polling unit showing 49 accredited voters while the result sheet claimed 1,093, indicating potential fraud. Jumbo expressed concern that INEC’s decision to disable this feature after the Bayelsa elections undermined electoral integrity.

While commending INEC for its technological advancements, he insisted that to enhance the electoral process, regular audits are essential. Jumbo concluded that if the Electoral Act is amended, it would signal progress for Nigeria. He advocated for thorough evaluations of electoral technologies before and after elections to ensure transparency and accountability, allowing all stakeholders to ask critical questions about the electoral process.

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