The Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Dr. Mutiu Agboke, has asserted that the era of the commission aiding politicians in winning elections is over.
Dr. Agboke highlighted that INEC’s continuous investment in technology has significantly improved Nigeria’s electoral system and enhanced election integrity over time.
Speaking with journalists in Osogbo over the weekend, Dr. Agboke pointed out that the main obstacles to credible elections are politicians using thugs to disrupt polls and the commercialization of voting.
He emphasized that the commission is committed to proving election integrity each year. To this end, INEC has deployed technologies like BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) and IREV (INEC Result Viewing Portal) to enhance system transparency.
“Incorporating technology is key to deepening our electoral process. We are continually exploring technological options to further enhance election integrity,” said Dr. Agboke. “The introduction of BVAS ensures accurate accreditation, preventing the manipulation of voter numbers. Previously, such certainty was unattainable.”
Dr. Agboke stressed that INEC staff cannot assist anyone in winning an election due to these technological safeguards. He noted that the movement of election materials is meticulously monitored via various platforms, from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to local governments, and then to wards, ensuring transparency.
He also addressed the controversy surrounding the last election, attributing it to misunderstandings about IREV, which is intended for transparency, not result collation.
“There’s a public misconception about IREV. It was created to ensure transparency by allowing public access to uploaded results at each stage. The actual collation happens at the collation center,” he explained.
Dr. Agboke concluded by stating that since 2011, INEC has increasingly adopted technology in its processes, with the only manual aspect remaining being the casting of ballots. He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to technology despite any controversial
