INEC advises SIECs to use technology in elections

Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has advised states’ Independent Electoral Commissions to emulate the commission in the deployment of technology for the conduct of elections.

Yakubu gave the advice when he received the Executive of the Forum of States Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) led by its Chairman, Mrs Gloria Ukpong, in his office on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said that the time had come for SIECs to adopt the use of technology in conducting elections, saying that INEC had taken the bold step in introducing technology to the process.

“It is now time for the SIECs to follow suit. We cannot continue to operate manually if we must achieve credible and free elections in the country.

“I hope very soon the use of technology will become mandatory for the conduct of local governments elections in the country,” Yakubu said.

He said that the commission would not only continue to collaborate with SEICs but would strengthen its Memorandum of Understanding with them, including capacity-building within available resources.

Yakubu promised that INEC would give necessary support and collaboration to SEICs towards ensuring that their elections were credible “to deepen the country’s democracy’’