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MIS-LEADING EDITORIALS "INEC AND E-VOTING SYSTEM".
The attention of the Independent National Electoral Commission
has been drawn to the grossly misleading editorials of The
Punch Newspapers, published in its Thursday 4th May, 2006
editions titled: “INEC AND E-VOTING SYSTEM”.
According to the editorial, the Chairman of INEC Professor
Maurice Iwu was alleged to have insisted on using the e-voting
system for the 2007 general elections.
INEC will want to state that this editorial is the figments
of imagination of the paper and unmitigated relic of gross
misinformation. INEC Chairman has never at anytime or at
any forum said that the Commission would use e-voting system
for the forthcoming election. In the Electronic Voting System
(EVS) proposed by the Commission to the National Assembly,
there was nowhere that e-voting was mentioned. The aspect
of the Electronic Voting System which seems to be interpreted
as E-voting may be the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM),
which was initially proposed as the fourth component of
EVS but which has been dropped due to the National Assembly’s
rejection of the machine.
Even before the opposition of the two houses of the National
Assembly to EVM, Professor Iwu had always explained that
the machine is only being studied in a pilot project not
necessarily for 2007 election but as a means to assess the
suitability or otherwise of the machine to the environment
with a view to adopting it for future elections after adequate
information and public enlightenment must have been done
and the machine approved by the National Assembly.
Of course, INEC chairman could not have insisted on e-voting
system which he never recommended. At no time did the INEC
Chairman mention e-voting as the method of voting in 2007.
On several occasions, he had always explained that the Electronic
Voting System (EVS) being proposed is a concept and not
a method of voting which e-voting is all about. He explained
that the components of EVS are Electronic Voters Register
which had been in operation since 2002 and was used for
compiling the voters register used in 2003 elections. The
second component is Electronic Authentication, while the
third is the Speedy Transmission of election results.
Professor Iwu, during a press chat at Port-Harcourt, emphatically
said that the electronic voting machine was under pilot
study by the Commission adding that the commission would
not use the machine for 2007. He told his audience that
all the Commission was doing was studying the machine for
possible use in future elections, if approved by the people.
The Punch should note that E-voting is quite different
from Electronic Voting Machine. E-voting is a method of
voting through the internet without necessarily going to
the polling centre. EVS is a system recommended by INEC,
which makes it mandatory for a voter to be registered, have
his voters’ card with his photograph and be physically
present at polling centre before such can be able to vote.
Therefore, the Punch should note that what Professor Iwu
recommended was EVS and not e-voting as alleged in the editorial.
Against this background, INEC wishes to advise our press
to refrain from publishing stories and comments that are
not only baseless but also unsubstantiated. The commission
wishes to assure the media that its doors are open for confirmation
of any information before publication.
Director, Public Affairs
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