Politics

INEC To Introduce New Technologies

Published

5 years ago

January 13, 2021

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is reviewing its adopted technologies for elections, with a view to introducing new ones to improve conduct of the elections ahead of 2023.

The INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity Department (VEP), Mr Nick Dazang, disclosed this yesterday at a workshop for the department on the “Review of National Voter Education Manual” held in Keffi, Nasarawa State.

The five-day workshop is organised by INEC in partnership with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD).

Dazang, speaking with newsmen on the sideline of the workshop, said INEC began the process for electronic voting since 2004 when it introduced optic map registration forms.

“After that in 2010, the commission introduced the use of direct data capture machines, and then expanded the use of the machines in the conduct of the 2011 election.

“So, we have started the process as far back as 2004, culminating in the use of the Smart Card Reader (SCR) and the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) that we also used in 2015.

“But the commission is reviewing this process with a view to upgrading and improving the conduct of elections in 2023.

“The commission wants to introduce new technologies that will help deepen the conduct of the elections, and also improve on them. So the commission is working assiduously on that.

“Very soon, when the commission has taken a position, it will come out and explain to Nigerians how this is going to be done,” Dazang said.

He said that in introducing the new technologies, INEC would revisit the use of card readers and likely to introduce other technologies that will work seamlessly with electronic voting in 2023.

“The commission has been working on that in the past few months and God’s willing in the next few months the commission will make its position known to the public.”

He said that INEC would continue to introduce new technologies to the electoral system, not for the fancy of it, but the technologies that worked.

He noted that the commission had no regrets on the technologies it had so far introduced for the conduct of elections in Nigeria as they had helped in deepening the process and the transparency.

Dazang said that the commission was also reviewing its voter education to enable it to explain better the planned technologies to Nigerians.

“In reviewing our voter education, we are looking at certain dynamics including the technologies that the commission intend to introduce.

“We have to be on top of the matters so that we can explain the application of these technologies to Nigerians as we did when we introduced SCR, direct data capturing machines and PVCs.

He described voter education as key part of the electoral process that needed concerted efforts not just from INEC, but all stakeholders.

“If you look at what is happening around the globe including Nigeria, so many changes are happening that necessitate the urgency to review voter education.”

This, according to him, include the issue of changes in technology and COVID-19, saying we need to change our communications process to respond to the changes.

“We need to change our communications in response to growing youth population. We need to use strategies that resonate with the youth and women population.”

On the amendment of the Electoral Act, Dazang said that the commission was working seriously with two committees of the National Assembly, adding that substantial gains were being made on the amendment.

He expressed optimism that the NASS would rise to the challenge in meeting up with its promise to Nigeria to amend the Electoral Act before the end of the first quarter of 2021.

On the Anambra governorship election, Dazang said that the commission would at the appropriate time issue the date and timetable for the conduct of the election, latest by six months to the conduct.

He urged the staff members of the commission to always upgrade themselves on new technologies as well as continue to obey the COVID-19 safety protocols.

The WFD Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr Adebowale Olorunmola, expressed the foundation’s continued determination and support for INEC to deepen voter education in Nigeria, especially at the grassroots.

He said that the foundation started its partnership journey with INEC in 2015 in ensuring more inclusion of women and people living with disability in electoral process.

Olorunmola commended INEC for deepening voter education and more inclusive electoral process for women and people living with disabilities.

He said that the workshop was key in enhancing voter education from the current way to wider and deeper ways to improve on future elections.

“There is nothing like advanced democracy anymore, but work in progress.

“If you look at what has been happening in U.S. even with their decades of practising democracy they are still moving to deepen voter education.”

Politics

FCT COUNCILS’ ELECTIONS: PDP WINS GWAGWALADA CHAIRMANSHIP AS APC SECURES AMAC, BWARI

Published

4 days ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

Alhaji Mohammed Kasim, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has won the Gwagwalada Area Council chairmanship election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Philip Akpeni, the Returning Officer of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), announced the results on Sunday morning.

Alhaji Kasim polled 22,165 votes to defeat Alhaji Yahaya Shehu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who polled 17,788 votes.

Alhaji Biko Umar of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) scored 1, 687 to come in third place.

“I am the returning officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Gwagwalada chairmanship held on Feb. 21, 2026,” Akpeni said.

“That Mohammed Kasim of PDP, having certified the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected.”

In the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Hon. Christopher Maikalangu, the APC candidate, was declared the winner of the chairmanship poll with 40,295 votes.

Andrew Abue, the Collation Officer for AMAC, said Hon. Maikalangu, who is the incumbent AMAC chairman, was returned elected having scored the highest number of votes cast.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) came second with 12,109 votes, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 3,398 votes.

According to Abue, the total number of valid votes in the chairmanship poll was 62,861, while the total votes cast stood at 65,197.

He added that the number of registered voters in AMAC was 837,338, while the total number of accredited voters was 65,676.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Mr. Joshua Ishaku of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the Bwari Area Council Chairmanship election.

Announcing the result on Sunday in Bwari, the Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Mohammed Nurudeen, stated that Ishaku polled a total of 18,466 votes to emerge victorious in the February 21, 2026 poll.

“I am the Returning Officer for the 2026 FCT Area Council, Bwari chairmanship held on Feb. 21, 2026. That Joshua Ishaku, having satisfied the requirements of the law, is hereby declared the winner and is returned elected,” Nurudeen said.

According to the results declared, the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) secured 4,254 votes, while the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) polled 3,515 votes to place second and third respectively.

The declaration adds to the series of results emerging from the 2026 FCT Area Council elections, as political parties assess their performance ahead of future contests.

INEC UPLOADS 2,602 OF 2,822 FCT CHAIRMANSHIP RESULTS ON IReV

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had uploaded 2,602 out of the 2,822 expected polling unit results from Saturday’s chairmanship elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as at 5:55am on Sunday, data retrieved from its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) showed.

According to The Tide source, the figure represents an overall upload rate of about 92.2 per cent across the six area councils of the territory.

A council-by-council breakdown indicates that Municipal Area Council recorded the highest number of submissions in absolute terms, with 1,309 of 1,401 polling unit results uploaded, representing 93.43 per cent.

In Gwagwalada Area Council, 330 of the expected 338 polling unit results had been uploaded, representing 97.63 per cent — the highest upload rate among the six councils.

In Bwari Area Council, INEC uploaded 463 of 485 polling unit results, translating to 95.46 per cent.

In Abaji Area Council, 129 of 135 polling unit results had been uploaded as at 5:55am, representing 95.56 per cent.

In Kwali Area Council, 164 of the expected 201 polling unit results were available on the portal, representing 81.59 per cent.

In Kuje Area Council, 207 of 262 polling unit results had been uploaded, representing 79.01 per cent — the lowest rate among the six councils as at the time of review.

Politics

Group Hails Tinubu’s Swift Assent To 2026 Electoral Bill

Published

4 days ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

The Tinubu Media Support Group (TMSG) has applauded President Bola Tinubu for signing the 2026 Electoral Bill into law within 24 hours of its passage by the National Assembly.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Emeka Nwankpa, and Secretary, Dapo Okubanjo, the group described the swift assent as a clear demonstration of political will to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“We see the decision by President Bola Tinubu to sign the reworked 2022 Electoral Act into law within a few hours of its passage as a demonstration of political will to ensure an improved electoral process which the new law envisages,” the group said.

The TMSG expressed confidence that the development would enable the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) to quickly align its operations with the new provisions in preparation for the 2027 polls.

The group noted that the provision for electronic transmission of results had been contentious but described its codification in the law as a significant step forward.

“So, for the first time, the country’s electoral law would be recognising the use of the Bi-modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the result viewing portal, IREV, which were just INEC guidelines in 2023,” it stated.

According to the TMSG, although the Act provides for electronic transmission of results from polling units to the IREV portal, it also makes room for manual transmission of Form EC8A result sheets as a backup in the event of technological failure.

“Unlike some Nigerians, we do not see anything wrong with the fallback plan but we agree with the President that no matter how beautiful a process is with improved technology, the onus lies on the people manning it to show good faith and ensure that the votes of the people really count at the end of the day,” the statement added.

The group highlighted other key provisions in the amended law, including the streamlining of party primaries to either consensus or direct primaries, early release of funds to INEC, reinforced measures against over-voting, and stiffer sanctions for electoral offences such as falsification of results.

It also pointed out that the mandatory notice period for elections has been reduced from 360 days to 300 days, giving INEC more flexibility in adjusting the timetable for the 2027 elections, especially where it may clash with Ramadan.

The TMSG further observed that the President’s decision to sign the bill days before the forthcoming Area Council Election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) underscores his desire for the law to take immediate effect.

“And by signing the amendment bill a few days before the Area Council Election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), it is obvious that the President is keen on ensuring that the 2026 Electoral Act takes immediate effect.

“Nigerians would also have an opportunity to see some of the key provisions of the new electoral law become operational, especially the electronic transmission of results,” it said.

The group expressed optimism that the current INEC leadership would leverage the new legal framework to deliver a more credible and widely acceptable electioneering process than in previous electoral cycles.

Politics

ANDONI WOMEN CELEBRATE FUBARA SUPPORT STIMULUS

Published

4 days ago

February 23, 2026

The Tide

Women under the umbrella of Rivers Women Unite for SIM (RWUS) in Andoni Local Government Area have celebrated the receipt of the Rivers Rural Women Support Stimulus (RRWSS) approved by the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.

The women, who gathered in large numbers, expressed joy and gratitude, describing the stimulus as timely and impactful in supporting their small businesses and improving their families’ welfare.

They noted that the support has rekindled hope among rural women and strengthened their confidence in the present administration.

Speaking during the celebration, Coordinator of the group in the LGA, Dr Alom Anyanya, thanked Governor Fubara for his commitment to the wellbeing of Rivers women, assuring that the beneficiaries would make good use of the gesture to grow their trades and contribute meaningfully to the local economy.

The women also offered special prayers for the Governor, the peace of Rivers State, and the unity and progress of Nigeria, while reaffirming their continued support for programmes that uplift women at the grassroots.

The event featured songs, dancing, and thanksgiving, as the women described the stimulus as a clear demonstration of inclusive governance and a new chapter of hope for Rivers women.

By: John Bibor