Top PDP Chieftain Makes Big Demand From INEC Ahead of 2023 Election
- A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has made recommendations for INEC ahead of the 2023 general election
- Osita Chidoka said an integrity test should be conducted by third-party on INEC's technologies before the elections
- According to Chidoka, the failure of voter accreditation in Anambra and FCT municipal elections makes the request consequential
A former corps marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Osita Chidoka, has recommended an integrity test on the technology systems of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Punch reports that Chidoka said a review of the commission's technology should be done before the 2023 general elections.
Chidoka made the remarks while speaking at a conference on US Policy and Nigeria’s 2023 elections held on Friday, March 11, at the Kenney Auditorium at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, Washington DC.
Source: Facebook
The former minister of aviation said it is important for stakeholders in the polity to encourage INEC to allow for third-party testing of its technology platform.
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Vanguard reports that Chidoka said an improvement in INEC's technology ahead of the 2023 election would be a deal-breaker towards achieving success at the polls.
While commending INEC for its efforts in adopting new technologies and continuous innovation during various election cycles, Chidoka said the slow adoption by political parties is the weak link in the political process.
His words:
“The experiences of failures and downtimes affecting voter accreditation in Anambra and FCT municipal elections makes the testing and certification essential.
“It is worrisome that a government agency, INEC, is leading technology adoption while the political parties are lagging and making little or no effort to adopt technology in their processes."
Most ad-hoc staff don't abide by training received for handling persons with disability, group says
INEC had assured people with disabilities (PWD) of improved access to polling units in the forthcoming Osun and Ekiti election.
The electoral commission also said that it will ensure that assistive materials provided by the commission are used by its ad-hoc staff where needed.
The assurance from INEC follows calls from PWD on challenges faced while trying to access voting areas during elections.
FCT elections: It took me 2 hours on rollers to get to my polling unit, person with disability
During the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections some persons with disability decried the challenges faced in accessing their polling units and areas.
This comes as several organisations have also called on the Nigerian government to ensure their work with relevant stakeholders to provide voting processes and platforms that fit all.
For Auwal Muhammad, a 42-year-old who sells recharge cards and chargers for mobile phones, the voting process for him has been a herculean task.
Muhammed who lives in the Karamajiji area of Abuja said he had to use his rollers to 'travel' for over two hours before he could get to his polling unit at LEA Primary School, Area 1 Garki.
Source: Legit.ng
