INEC seeks autonomy on use of technology, judicial help

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), yesterday, stressed the need to deepen the use of technology in the country’s electoral processes, saying this would stimulate efficiency and declaration of result in record time.

It, therefore, solicited the understanding of the judiciary to interpret the constitution and the law more purposefully and enhance, guarantee, protect and secure the power, prestige and independence of the commission.

The commission also said that strengthening the use of technology would limit prospects of pernicious and malicious interference in the electoral process and outcomes.

National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, stated this at a sensitisation workshop for Head of Department’s Voter Education Publicity and Public Affairs Officers on the Continuous Voter Registration Exercise, organised by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs held in Ikeja, Lagos.

Okoye said that the duality of quality control and due diligence would eliminate as much as possible, the anxiety of moving results from the polling units to the collation centres.

He said the use of technology would smoothen the processes of the commission and enhance monitoring and compliance, adding that within the context of a global pandemic, technology is the oxygen for electoral continuity.