The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, has backed the calls for the electronic transmission of votes stressing the need to give the country an electoral law that allows free, fair and credible election.
Tambuwal in a statement he signed on Monday faulted the alleged plan by the federal parliament to disempower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from transmitting results of elections electronically.
“Some have argued that internet penetration in all parts of Nigeria is not assured. This is exactly why the bill should give INEC the prerogative of introducing electronic transmission of votes in any election,” he said.
“In any case, INEC has demonstrated and assured that it has the technology to transmit votes electronically even without the internet. INEC had also assured that with the new process and technology, any interested Nigerian could track or monitor the results of the election from his or her house.
“It is a credible, free, and fair election that will ensure that the voters decide any electoral contest. The Edo and Ondo States elections where electronic transmission of votes cast from the unit level ensured that the voters’ wishes were respected are good examples. PDP won in Edo and APC won in Ondo as a result.”
“Once results of elections are announced from the collation centers, down to the wards, Local Governments and final collation centers, any person can monitor it without any human error”, INEC announced recently.
“The international community, INEC, the entire Civil Society, almost ALL the political parties are in support of ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF VOTES.
“One must distinguish ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION of votes from ELECTRONIC VOTING, which in my view is a little bit more problematic, though achievable.
” My intervention is not a partisan one. It must be seen as a contribution from someone who has had varied experiences as a legislator, a former Speaker, a sitting Governor and one who has been involved in the leadership of political Parties.”
