INEC has clarified its stance on electronic result compilation, asserting that the computerized compilation of results remains illegal for the upcoming off-cycle elections in Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo states. Responding to earlier speculations, INEC emphasized that Saturday’s polls in these states would not involve electronic result compilation.
Rotimi Oyekanmi, the chief press secretary to the INEC chairman, said that the result viewing webpage is not intended for compiling election results or determining the winner. Furthermore, he highlighted that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is not to be misconstrued as an electronic voting machine.
“Polling unit election results, also known as Form EC8As, will be uploaded directly to the INEC Result Viewing Portal from the individual PUs by the presiding officers after the close of poll and declaration of results at that level,” he said.
“Presiding Officers are expected to use the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System to snap the Form EC8A and upload it to the IReV after all processes at the various polling units have been completed.
“However, people must understand that the IReV is not used to collate election results or determine the winner, and the BVAS is not an electronic voting machine.
“To be sure, electronic voting or result collation is currently illegal in Nigeria.” The IReV portal only displays the Form EC8A uploaded by polling units for the public to see.
“The process for determining and declaring the winner of a governorship election is well encapsulated in section 179 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”, he stated further.