2023: INEC reiterates readiness to transmit election results electronically

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2 years ago

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it can transmit election results from all corners of Nigeria in the 2023 election given the available technological devices at its disposal.

Deputy Director, of Information Communication Technology (ICT), Dr. Olugbenga Lawrence Bayomi said this on Thursday at a two days training workshop in Abuja.

The workshop was the collaboration of a trio of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Center for Democracy and Development (CDD)on conflict reporting by the media.

Abayomi said Nigerians must rest assured that the Independent National Electoral Commission has several servers but was not in the custody of the specific server claimed to be in her custody in 2019.

He said Nigerians must play their part in invoking the electoral Act 2022 for a successful 2023 election as the commission was limited in invoking such laws on non-staff

He said while the Commission could carry out punitive measures on her employees, it lacked the capacity to punish double registration offenders beyond delisting extra registration to prevent double holders of the permanent voter’s card.

It enjoined Nigerians to identify and strive to punish the offenders of double registration through legal action as the laws are there to be explored.

National President of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Christopher Isiguzo said the role of Journalists in the proper functioning of a democracy cannot be ignored.

According to him, the “watchdog” role should centre on unfettered scrutiny and discussion of the successes and failures of politicians, governments, and the electoral management body. Journalists should inform the public of how effectively they have performed and help to hold them to account.

Journalists in Nigeria should work towards the advancement of the right of freedom of expression, access to information, freedom of the press, media independence, conflict transformation and peacebuilding.

These are prerequisites for open governance and development, which ultimately serve the public interest.

In order to properly advance public interests, earn public trust and be watchdogs of society, the pursuit of truth and public good must be the cornerstone of journalism practice in Nigeria.

He said this makes it obligatory for every journalist to maximally comply with ethical principles and professional standards. It also makes it obligatory for every journalist to be entitled to decent wages, protection from attacks or hazards and a conducive working environment.

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