In a one-day capacity-building workshop on “Conflict- Sensitive Reporting and the 2023 General Election,” hosted by INEC in partnership with the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the Commission gave Nigerians the assurance that votes would be counted in the 2023 election.
The Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS), which is nearly impossible to hack, has been fully implemented, according to INEC. The Commission is ready to hold a free, fair, and credible election.
During a workshop for journalists in the South-South Region on Tuesday in Uyo, INEC’s Director for ICT, Engr Cosmas Esoha, gave a lecture on the organisation’s new technologies for the 2023 general election. He said the Commission has put measures to ensure credible elections, free from rigging or result manipulations.
He said that the legislation will guarantee transparency and accountability, as well as public auditing and results verification, electronic accreditation, and error-free results computation.
The Commission stated that the deadline for collecting Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) is January 22, 2023, and urged the people to ensure they did so since, without a PVC, no voter would be permitted to cast a ballot.
Speaking on behalf of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Comrade Chris Isiguzo, the National President, stated that the media’s primary goal is to advance democracy and that they will keep cooperating with INEC to make sure that this happens throughout the nation.
Isiguzo regretted that, over the years, journalists had either lost their lives, suffered various injuries, or had their equipment damaged, particularly during election times. Comrade Opaka Dokubo, Vice President, NUJ, Zone F, represented him.
“In Nigeria, little to nothing is done to ensure that those responsible for attacks on journalists and the media are brought to justice; as a result, the culture of impunity for such attacks endures. Stakeholders must work to reduce these. He spoke
The statement released after the workshop stated that the media had misconstrued some aspects of the Electoral Act 2022, and it recommended media organisations seek explanations to prevent deceiving the people.
Further warnings against inciting remarks that could disrupt public peace, order, and concord during the elections of 2023 were issued to electoral stakeholders and actors.
“The forum Lauded INEC for the introduction of technology such as the Bimodal Voters Authentication System (BIVAS), INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV), and online biodata registration of Adhoc personnel recruited for the election, and urged the Commission to ensure strict audit of activities of her personnel who will be involved in the electoral processes to nip in the bud all forms of electoral malpractices.
“INEC was urged to collaborate closely with security agencies to protect journalists, stakeholders and actors working on election matters and voters, particularly in riverine areas which may be vulnerable to attacks.
“INEC assured persons who transferred their registration to the State, applied for change of polling units, and those who applied for renewal of defaced PVCs that their cards will be ready for collection at the respective INEC offices in their LGAs from Monday, December 12 2022.
“INEC announced the collection of Permanent Voter Cards will end on January 22, 2023, and media houses should continue sensitising the public on matters relating to the elections,” the communique stated.