Former President Goodluck Jonathan has said for Nigeria’s electoral system to have credibility and integrity, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will have to deploy technology for future elections and transmission of results.
He said the commission has made a lot of progress in the application of new technology in its elections to discontinue same.
He, therefore, urged the National Assembly to adopt electronic transmission of results in the electoral act amendment bill.
He spoke on Wednesday during the Inaugural Lecture of Course 30 at the National Defence College.
The lecture was titled, ‘Human Security and National Development: The Whole Society Approach’.
He said, “If we truly desire to deepen the roots of democracy in our land, we should not seek to reverse the progress already recorded by INEC in the application of modern tools in the conduct of elections but aim to improve the processes in the light of new technology.”
“It is difficult, therefore, to understand why the argument against the possibility of electronic transmission of election results continue subsists, despite all the advancement made in information and communication technology, over the years.
“There is no doubt that the independence of the electoral management body is the key plank upon which a thriving democracy rests. In Nigeria, the agency with the constitutional responsibility for this role is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“There is the need for those involved in the ongoing electoral reforms to review their efforts and ask themselves some tough questions.
“That way, they will be able to determine whether they are advancing the course of democracy by working to enhance and protect the constitutionally guaranteed duties of INEC or seeking to encumber the body with unnecessary posturing, capable of negatively affecting the exercise of its independence, in the conduct of elections.”
