By Bilesanmi Abayomi
Former APC Kosofe House of Assembly aspirant, Hon. Samuel Olarenwaju Adebayo, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use electronic transmission of election results from the polling units in subsequent elections.
Adebayo made this call while speaking with newsmen on Saturday at the 13th Annual Ramadan Lecture themed “The Girl Child and Child Dedication of the group’s Founder, Abdulwaheed Omotayo Odunuga.”
According to Adebayo, the use of electronics would eliminate the counting and snatching of ballot boxes during an election. He commended INEC for their efforts in the previous election but noted that there was room for improvement to restore people’s faith in the electoral process.
“If INEC can go electronic, it will go a long way in ensuring transparency and eliminating electoral malpractices such as ballot box snatching and counting, which were witnessed during the last election,” he said.
Adebayo, who is also the founder of Succour Health and Education Foundation, noted that in advanced countries, they don’t use paper to thumbprint as BVAS machines could be upgraded to allow thumbprints to go straight to the server. He urged INEC to consider this option to ensure that the results are available immediately after voting.
He also emphasized the need for candidates to engage in online debates instead of physical debates and for them to focus on their policies rather than attacking opponents.
“Every electorate should be allowed to vote for the candidate of their choice without fear or intimidation. We should not abuse other people’s ethics and we should understand that irrespective of our religious and ethnic backgrounds, we should not divide ourselves. We should unite together and elect the right candidate,” he added.
The programme, which has been running for over 13 years, is aimed at praying for Nigeria and promoting peace in their community. Adebayo stated that the programme had been helpful in Kosofe and the country at large.
With the 2023 general election fast approaching, Adebayo’s call for electronic transmission of results may gain traction as INEC seeks to improve the electoral process and boost public confidence.