The Network of Yobe Civil Society Organisations (NYCSO) has said electronic transmission of election results is the right step towards mitigating rigging and electoral violence in the country.
Alhaji Baba Shehu, Executive Director of NYSCO, stated this on Wednesday in Damaturu while commending Nigerian senators for giving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the power to determine how election results should be transmitted.
He said the fact that the senate had decided to listen to the popular demand and act accordingly was a “welcome development.”
Shehu recalled that the previous position by the lawmakers was obviously condemned by many Nigerians, who saw it as an attempt to seize the powers of the nation’s electoral umpire.
“I think it won’t tell well of this country to lack the capacity to transmit election results electronically, looking at this technologically driven era”, he said.
The Executive Director also said that e-transmission of election results would instill confidence in the electorate and reduce possible attacks by hoodlums on electoral officials conveying election materials to the commission’s offices as well as to polling units.
He admonished INEC to leverage on the decision of the senate to ensure effective e-transmission of election results were adopted to encourage democratic development in the country.
Shehu, however, called on critical stakeholders to establish a special tribunal to deal with electoral violence. “There is a need for the establishment of a special tribunal for electoral violence, snatching of ballot boxes, among others,” he said.
He said that this should be treated immediately even before the other tribunal so that perpetrators of violence would be punished according to the laws of the land, to serve as a deterrent to other offenders or those willing to join in wreaking havoc to electoral processes.
