INEC Clarifies Position On Electronic Transmission Of Results Ahead Of Bayelsa, Kogi , Imo Guber Elections

The nation’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,  has submitted that  its results viewing portal  is designed to  enhance and promote  election transparency and not serve as  a result collation or transmission system.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned  that  Paul Omokore,  who is the Director of ICT, INEC,  gave this clarification in his presentation titled, ‘The role of BVAS, IReV for Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo Governorship elections’ during the two-day capacity workshop held for journalists in Akwanga, Nasarawa state on Monday.

He urged journalists and members of the public not to confuse uploading polling station’s result to the INEC Result Viewing Portal with the electronic transmission of results.

The INEC Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, he added, is only used to upload pictures of PUs’ results on form EC8A to IReV, which does not stand to imply electronic transmission of results.

‘Form EC8A is the result that we collate at the PUs. We use BVAS to snap this form and upload the same thing to the IReV portal for public viewing.

This is not a collecting system. It does not tally a system. What it does is to snap the EC8A which is the result at the polling unit and upload the same to the public view. That is all.

I know that 70 per cent of the populace thinks that the others have collected the figures. No’ he said.

The top INEC official added that technology deployment had proven to be an effective tool in achieving free, fair and credible elections.

INEC has however according to him put in extra efforts to ensure that they were mitigated.

‘The role of BVAS is to ensure ‘one person, one vote’.

The role of the IReV Portal is to improve the openness and credibility of our elections’ he said.

Chairman, Partners for Electoral Reform, Ezenwa Nwagwu, in his lecture titled, ‘Ethical Dilemma in Election Reporting: Navigating Bias, Balance and Promoting Transparency,’ urged journalists to ensure accurate reporting.

He listed  core issues in election reporting  to include independence, unbiased and accurate reports by the media.

‘Accurate and transparent report is the only cure for fake news, which is the responsibility of the media’ he said.

 Nwagu said journalists should always investigate the reasons behind some news presented to them by people with biased minds on the electoral process and balance it with the provision of the laws-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980. Thank you