2023 ELECTION: Did technology fail Nigeria or INEC failed technology?

By Bartholomew Madukwe

No doubt, the 2023 elections have been greeted with widespread controversies across the country following some irregularities that marred the process. 

As a result of such irregularities, litigations continue to trail the conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections, conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. 

Presidential and National Assembly elections were held on February 25, 2023, while governorship and state assembly elections took place on March 11, 2023. 

Reactions from across the world have followed the 25 February presidential election, which produced Bola Tinubu as Nigeria’s next President, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC)- the platform on which outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari has governed Nigeria since 29 May 2015.

Tinubu was announced the winner of the hard-fought contest with 8,794,736 of the over 24 million votes cast in the election. His tally represents only 37 percent of the votes, the lowest by a winner since 1979. Yet, it is 8 percent higher than that of his closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) was further behind with a 25 percent share of the ballots.

Expressing his view on the conduct of the 2023 presidential election held Saturday, February 25, literary icon, Professor Wole Soyinka, said it is “not exactly the most edifying exercise that we've been through. 

“My trust has broken down completely and even the minimum restraint that we’ve learned to expect from seasoned politicians has been jettisoned completely.” 

However, the British envoy has described the election as fascinating as it offered future assurances for democratic governance in the country. 

The envoy stated this in Abuja at the Senate wing of the National Assembly after a courtesy visit on the President of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan. 

According to the outgoing British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Catriona Laing, though there were setbacks in the Saturday, February, 25th Presidential and National Assembly election, overall, it was a positive process Nigeria should be proud of. 

On the part of a Constitution lawyer and Human Rights Activist, Professor Mike Ozekhome SAN, the last Presidential, NASS, Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections were the worst he has ever witnessed in Nigeria since the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates by Lord Frederick Lugard. 

It would be recalled that President Buhari had pledged to leave a legacy of credible elections in the country, as INEC proposed the sum of N305 billion for the conduct of the 2023 general election. 

Buhari stressed this in his Independence Day nationwide broadcast, which is the president’s last activity for such an event following his leaving office in May, when he will complete his second term in office. 

To cushion his seriousness on leaving a legacy of credible elections in the country, Buhari, on Friday, March 10, 2023, signed the Electoral Bill into law- which clearly states how elections should be conducted. 

Despite all promises by INEC and Buhari, many Nigerians still hold the view that the 2023 Elections were “Selections” as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), which is a solution to election rigging, failed during the 2023 Presidential Election. 

However, the failed BVAS and INEC Results Viewing Portal (Irev) worked during the March 11, 2023 elections. 

 Did technology fail Nigeria or INEC failed technology?

Watch the video below: