Emmanuel Akem, an engineer by training is director, information and communication technology (ICT), Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec).
Akem has over 15 years experience on software. He talks on the commissions operations and the growing desire on e – voting in the subsequent elections. Akem spoke to Christopher alu in Abuja.
INEC and e-Voting System
We were able to use some electronic means in the general elections conducted in 2007 to process and transmit results for the whole world to see.
We used computers to receive and arrange the results in a chronological order to make it quick, but the lawmakers are meant to change the law on voting; we cannot adopt the e-voting system now. So, unless they reverse the law on e-voting system, we cannot use the voting machine as an instrument of balloting in Nigeria.
Terrestrial Coverage during Elections
In the last elections we had live broadcast, though not similar to that of what took place in the U.S where they had all ICT facilities to reach out to the world. They are much more ready for e-voting and c-system display there. Their Internet communications work well, in fact, they have a channel that covers all political activities down to election results, displayed on electronic boards for the world to view.
We are yet to reach this stage but we are making efforts to draw closer. I believe by the next elections, we would come online with transmission gadgets for people in and around the world to view us.
We are also planning to have a channel that can be used for outreach purposes and other activities during elections, so that any controversy generated would be tackled amicably. This would include electronic boards that would project all activities on elections and display results, and a network that will ensure connectivity in the next elections, similar to what happened in America.
Online Campaigns
Political parties and contestants are allowed to do online campaigns if they have the capacity to do it. Inec cannot stop them, rather, we would use that to monitor and follow their activities provided they stick to our rules and regulations, and also do not use that to hurt the feelings of the people. Online campaign is very good. It gives a projection of a dynamic society that is ICT compliant. From the very beginning, it can hinder littering of the city with bill/posters on the wall. Electronic board can be strategically mounted in some parts of the cities, and a politician can use that for his e-campaign and e-transactions. It is one most efficient and effective means of modern technology communication that can help to achieve set objectives in present times.
Box Snatching
We are seriously working on this very particular issue you have raised.
Inec wants to go the whole length this time to make sure that modern devices are used to detect those who snatch ballot boxes. This boils down to the use of modern technology facilities that would give the desired results. There are electronic voting machines just like I earlier said. If we are allowed to use them, nobody can snatch ballot boxes. Once you cast your vote, it captures your thumbprint on the dashboard and your vote is automatically counted. You cannot thumbprint twice because it will reject that command. There is also electronic the ballot box, where votes are cast and it is only the key numbers that are set, will open it. We have plans for these, but until the lawmakers reverse the law, we cannot use them here in Nigeria. The snatching of ballot boxes and thuggery are offences that Inec is seriously against. We must improve on our technology so that people will see the futility of snatching ballot boxes, although it involves a lot of capital, which the government alone cannot afford. So, it is the duty of the private sector with NGOs, concerned Civil Society groups, to go into partnership in order to assist in that direction, just like what happened in America recently.
Website
We have a website and voter’s response centre as well as other IT means of reaching out to people. On how best we can answer questions and also be accessed, we are yet to go digital on that – whereby people from everywhere around the world can view us. But we are planning to do that in the subsequent elections.
Challenges Ahead
One of the biggest challenges is to improve on the facilities to meet up to world standard during elections, in the areas of electronic transmission of results, e-voting systems, collation of these results. Another challenge is that of reversing the law by the National Assembly to enable my office work properly.