Bode George: Election results should be transmitted electronically and not manually

Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Deputy National Chairman, Chief Bode George, has criticized the manual collation of 2023 election results instead of the electronic transmission that is stated in the 2022 electoral act.

In a statement released, Bode George made it known that manual collation at this ICT age is curious. He stated further that the Independent National Electoral Commission had a disappointing outing last Saturday.

Also, he stated that INEC’S position is denting the effort of developed countries like the United States, which made huge financial and material commitments to the electoral process.

George urged the international community that has their observers on ground to speak against the self-destructive and annihilating political malfeasance.

He said: “It is disheartening to learn that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed the position that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), meant for the seamless transmission of election results electronically into the commission’s server is failing, and thus, necessitating the reversal to the manual system.

“This is against the standard for the election and it is not acceptable at all, as we are being taken back to the period of misery, when elections results were manipulated between the polling units and the collation centres.

“It is the most despicable shameful act, after the certification of the veracity of the BVAS, for the transmission process of results, which was attested to, by the mock process successfully embarked on by INEC before the election, coupled by the successful deployment of the system for the Ekiti, Anambra and Osun governorship elections.

“How can we accept this uncivilised abuse against an established electoral reform already gazetted and entrenched as Electoral Act in our constitution?

“The transmission of the ongoing collation for the Presidential and National Assembly election results must be transmitted electronically as enunciated by INEC.

“INEC, should not succumb to any pressure, to force to alternate the results from the polling units, as history would judge the Chairman of the electoral body, who swore to oath to ensure free, fair and credible electoral process.

“In the event of being pressured to alternate results of the election, the INEC Chairman should raise his voice for Nigerians to hear or step down from his position.”