By Emmanuel Ewere- I.T law Expert

The Nigerian 2023 elections mark a turning point in the country’s electoral history, as it marks the first time that an e-voting system will be fully adopted for the polls. This adoption of technology in the electoral process represents the beginning of a new era for Nigeria, one that promises to bring increased transparency, accuracy, and security to the polls.

E-voting and the use of technology in elections have gained popularity in recent years due to their numerous advantages over conventional voting methods. These advantages include higher voter participation, enhanced accuracy and transparency, and cost savings. Nigeria would profit immensely from the introduction of electronic voting methods. In this article, i will discuss the necessity for a credible election in Nigeria, as well as how the usage of Biometric Voter Authentication Systems (BVAS) and other e-voting materials might pave the way for improved e-voting in the country in the future.

Voter fraud is one of the primary difficulties facing Nigeria’s electoral process. Numerous reports of voter intimidation, vote buying, and electoral manipulation have been made in the past. These tactics undermine the integrity of the electoral process and call the results’ veracity into question. The usage of BVAS and other e-voting materials can aid in resolving these concerns by offering a secure and transparent method of identifying voters and preventing duplicate voting.

Biometric data, such as fingerprints or facial recognition, are utilised by BVAS systems to authenticate voters. This technology eliminates the need for voters to produce easily falsified or manipulated physical identification documents. As their biometric data is captured and compared to a central database, it also assures that each voter can only vote once. This aids in preventing voter impersonation and multiple voting, which are significant obstacles to the democratic process in Nigeria.

In Nigeria’s political process, the introduction of electronic voting materials can potentially enhance voter turnout. In the past, lengthy lines and delays at polling locations dissuaded many citizens from participating in the election process. E-voting materials can assist decrease these delays and boost the efficiency of the voting process, hence increasing voter turnout. In Nigeria’s electoral process, the use of BVAS and other e-voting materials can serve to pave the way for improved e-voting in the future. These technologies can strengthen the political process’s transparency, integrity, and efficacy while also boosting voter participation. By deploying electronic voting technologies, Nigeria can take a significant step toward a more credible electoral process, which is vital for the country’s long-term stability and growth.

In addition to BVAS, Nigeria could adopt for future elections, other e-voting materials such as Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) systems to strengthen the electoral process’s transparency and integrity. Electronic voting machines (EVMs) enable voters to cast ballots electronically, removing the need for human counting and lowering the danger of errors or manipulation. VVPAT systems give a physical record of the vote that can be utilised for audits and dispute resolution. if Utilizing electronic voting machines (EVMs) and Biometric Voter Authentication Systems, Nigeria adopts the alternative electronic voting system (BVAS). This method intends to address some of the shortcomings of the manual approach by enhancing openness and accuracy and minimising the likelihood of fraud.

Verification of voter identity is a significant difference between the two systems. In the manual system, voters produce tangible identification documents such as national ID cards or voter identification cards. BVAS uses biometric data such as fingerprints or face recognition in the electronic voting system to verify voters and ensure that each voter can only vote once.

Using EVMs in an electronic voting system reduces the need for human vote counting, hence lowering the likelihood of error and manipulation. EVMs are meant to ensure that each vote is precisely counted, with the results transferred to a central server for tabulation.

E-voting systems additionally incorporate Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) systems, which give a physical record of the vote that can be utilised for auditing and settling disputes.

In summary, the e-voting system to be used for the 2023 election in Nigeria aims to increase the transparency, accuracy and security of the electoral process by using technology such as the BVAS, while reducing the possibility of errors, manipulation and voter fraud.