INEC considers e-voting in 2019

 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has indicated its readiness to use electronic voting in the 2019 general elections.

The electoral body which commended the Senate for amending the 2010 Electoral Act, also presented a five-year strategic action plan to the upper legislative chamber.

Chairman of the commission, Mahmood Yakubu disclosed this on Thursday when he led Federal commissioners on a courtesy visit to the Senate President, Bukola Saraki at the National Assembly complex in Abuja.

Yakubu expressed excitement at the amendment of the Electoral Act, as against what happened in the past when such amendment got to the commission few days to general elections.

The INEC Chairman assured that the Commission would deepen the use of technology in the conduct of the election as provided for by the new electoral act.

“This is the most technologically friendly amendment to the Electoral Act in the history of this country. All the encumbrances to the deployment of the technology in elections have now been addressed, and so INEC has the free hand to fully employ appropriate technology in the conduct of our elections. This is all the more remarkable because the deployment of technology helped the 2015 general elections, and I want to assure  you that we are going to deepen the use of technology in the conduct of elections.

“Next, we are working on the basis of a very clear plan. What helped the 2015 general elections was the existence of a very clear strategic plan that covered the last electoral cycle. That strategic plan expired last year, and last year we began work on the  new strategic plan to cover the next electoral cycle. It is a five year plan covering the period 2017-2021.

“We have gone through all the processes including the last stakeholders’ validation of the document. We have a strategic plan that will take us through the 2019 general elections and beyond. The plan comes with a programme of action, so that between now and 2019 and beyond, you will know exactly what INEC is going to do, on a monthly basis, daily basis and quarterly basis”. he said.

Responding, Senate President, Bukola Saraki urged INEC to adhere strictly to the provisions of the Electoral Act in its conduct of the 2019 elections and beyond and particularly declared that the Senate will stand by it on the required usage of   technology in the elections.