The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has admitted to the technical issues that marred the 2023 general elections, assuring Nigerians that the lessons learned will lead to a smoother process in future elections.
Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, conveyed this commitment during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.
Addressing the glitches, Oyekanmi highlighted the role of technology in modernizing electoral processes but cautioned against over-reliance on it.
“Technology is good; we have no doubt about it. It has helped the work of INEC; but I always say that technology is not a silver bullet; it does not solve all problems,” he stated.
Oyekanmi likened the issues faced by INEC to the occasional downtimes experienced by global tech giants such as Facebook and Instagram.
He emphasized that even companies with vast resources can encounter unexpected disruptions, pointing out that INEC’s situation was no different. “Your phone sometimes may misbehave; that is the way it is. Nobody plans for failure,” he noted.
Despite the setbacks, INEC swiftly corrected the issues, and the results were made available on the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal, Oyekanmi assured. He further emphasized that the commission is well-prepared for upcoming elections, particularly the governorship election in Edo State.
Reflecting on past successes, he remarked, “We have learned our lessons. This is the third governorship election we are conducting in Edo. This commissioner has the privilege to conduct the first one in 2016 and came out well. The second one in 2020 came out well, and now we are going for the third one.”
Oyekanmi’s statements signal INEC’s commitment to improving electoral integrity, reassuring the public that the commission is taking the necessary steps to prevent a repeat of the issues experienced during the 2023 elections.
