2023 Elections: Ex-Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga Prompts Electorates, Says Technology Can Rig Elections

• The former Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga has revealed why technology is not a guarantee for free and fair elections
• According to the veteran Kenyan politician, technology can be manipulated by the elites
• He, however, stated that it is high time Africa devised a veritable technological means of conducting credible elections

FCT, Abuja - With less than three weeks to the general elections, voters in Nigeria have been warned to stay vigilant despite the introduction of technology in this month's presidential polls.

As reported by the Leadership Newspaper, the ex-Prime Minister of Kenya, Raila Odinga gave this advisory message to electorates in Abuja on Tuesday, January 31, during the 14th edition of the LEADERSHIP Annual Conferences and Awards.

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Odinga, who said he was speaking from experience, said he acknowledged the importance of technology but the elections could still be sabotaged by the elites.

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While speaking about the repercussions of rigging, the veteran Kenyan politician noted that it could jeopardise the confidence investors have in a country, as well as make the electorates feel that their votes do not count.

Odinga said:

“There is a need to rethink the use of technology. Either we adopt reliable election technology, including voting machines that generate a voter-verifiable audit trail, so voters can confirm that their choices are being recorded accurately, or we go fully manual.”

He further stated that electoral management bodies in many African countries have been captured by incumbent governments.

Odinga said the trend has caused elections in Africa to be porous, lacking credibility and fair contest amongst candidates.

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His words:

“As a continent, we have to agree that critical development efforts cannot succeed without a legitimate and democratically elected government that is responsive and accountable to its citizens and the investor community.”

2023 elections: Foreign hackers attack INEC's database

In another development, the chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, said hackers are making attempts to hack into the commission's database ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Yakubu who was represented by the deputy director of ICT, Dr Lawrence Bayode disclosed this on Thursday, January 26, at an event in Abuja.

The INEC boss, however, gave assurance that the electoral body is putting measures in place to ensure its system is secure.

Source: Legit.ng