How INEC Can Properly Manage Election Results, By Vice-Chancellors

Some Vice-Chancellors of federal universities who served as State Collation Officers for both the 2023 presidential and governorship elections have offered tips to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on proper management of election results.

They include the Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof Folashade Ogunsola, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Kabiru Bala and University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Charles Igwe.

They spoke on the sidelines of the ongoing review meetings of the 2023 general elections with stakeholders and participants by INEC.

Prof. Ogunsola advised INEC to continue improving on the technology adopted for the conduct of elections.

Ogunsola, who was the State Collation Officer for Osun during the Presidential election, said while improving on those technologies, INEC should also regularly inform Nigerians about such progress to instil confidence in the system.

According to her, while uploading results was an added value, parties, INEC and other stakeholders should push for a more transparent process by having their copies of the result.

She said while the uploading of results made it more difficult for anybody to manipulate it, it was also important for every party to have a copy of the results at all levels and for stakeholder to diligently perform their responsibilities so that collective confidence could be restored in the system.

She said “Once you’re in leadership or any position, people are going to question your integrity whether they have real reason to or not. It is often a matter of opinion.

“I do know that there was a lot of finger-pointing without basis, just because it didn’t go somebody’s way so when you take these kinds of assignments, you recognise that that will happen.

“There will always be a trust deficit even if you’re doing everything correctly some people are going to question it”.

Prof Ogunsola suggested that since election results are collated at the polling units and collation centres, political parties should ensure that their members were always present at every level and have copies of the results.

“I collated results at Osun State and everybody has those results. As we were reading out the results, it was being flashed on the board and everybody signed it.

“So if somebody turns around now to say that it is not the right result, how do you fight that? It means the person is either telling a lie or was not around,” she said.

On his part, Prof. Bala said that for Nigeria to have successful election outcomes there must be a change of attitude by Nigerians whether politicians or the electorate.

Bala who served as the State Retuning officer for Sokoto State, said politicians needed to change their `must-win` mentality while those elected should be patriotic to serve, and the electorate should vote for the best candidate in any election.

Prof. Charles Igwe said he had already forwarded his recommendations to INEC, including early commencement of preparation for elections, including the recruitment of ad hoc staff and field officers.

He said this would make them well grounded in what was expected of them during elections, adding that it was important that INEC organized the post-election review.

According to him, this would also help in experience sharing and proffering solutions to identified loopholes