E-Transmission Does Not Guarantee Free, Fair, Credible Elections – Shehu Sani
Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has says the electronic transmission of election results does not fully guarantee free, fair and credible elections.
He stated this on Wednesday during an interview on ‘Sunrise Daily’, a programme on Channels Television.
He was reacting to the recent passage of the Electoral Act.
It would be recalled that the Senate on Tuesday approved electronic transmission of election results, with manual collation retained as a backup.
Airing his opinion on the Amended Electoral Act, the former lawmaker said, “Electronic transfer does not mean that we’re going to have 100% free and fair election. There is no electoral system that those who intend to rig would not be able to circumvent. Now you have a manual voting and electronic transfer of results.
“So everywhere you go, if the nation is interested in organizing free, fair and credible elections, it will hold and if there is the intent and practice of manipulation, whatever you do they will find a way to rig it.
“For example, now, you can have laws everywhere that voters should not be induced with money or anything material for them to vote, they will still do that and we don’t have the manpower to go to every nook and cranny to make sure people are not being induced.”
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
