Attahiru Jega, the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has called for a detailed explanation from the electoral body regarding the glitches in its Result Viewing Portal (IreV) and the Bimodal Voter Registration Systems (BVAS) during the 2023 general elections.
Speaking on Channels Television, Jega attributed the failures to the interference of desperate politicians who, he claimed, infiltrated the technological systems introduced by INEC.
Jega acknowledged INEC’s efforts to enhance transparency and integrity in the electoral process through technology. However, he emphasized that certain politicians, driven by a win-at-all-costs mentality, circumvented the IreV and BVAS systems, creating challenges for the electoral body.
“In 2023, INEC did its best under very difficult circumstances, and a lot of these difficult circumstances were caused by the mindset of our selfish politicians who wanted to win by hook or by crook,” Jega stated. He highlighted the ongoing trend where politicians strive to outsmart INEC by staying a step ahead of technological advancements introduced by the commission.
Expressing his concern, Jega insisted that INEC should provide more information about the issues with IreV. He even advocated for a thorough public inquiry into the matter. “I feel that something has happened, that in spite of the confidence and the very articulate manner the INEC chairman (Mahmood Yakubu) had spoken about the IreV and it then failed,” he remarked, attributing the failure to potential infiltration by “reckless politicians” who may have sought to compromise the system.
Jega concluded by asserting that while politicians may have infiltrated and disrupted the technological systems, INEC should take responsibility for the failures and offer a transparent account of the events surrounding IreV. The call for an inquiry reflects concerns over the integrity of the electoral process and the need for accountability in the face of technological challenges.
