Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday concluded plans with the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), to deploy the use of high-technology for a robust election.
The agreement was made at a joint press conference held by the Director General of NITDA, Mr. Peter Jack the Acting Chairman of INEC, Mrs. Amina Zakari, in Abuja.
The NITDA DG explained that the agency deliberately planned the upcoming e-governance conference for November in order to focus on the use of technology to explore possibilities in applying technology in 2019 general elections and improve the nation’s electoral system.
He assured that with the deployment of the technology, the 2019 elections would be fair and acceptable by both Nigerians voters and international community.
“The eNigeria annual conference focuses on trends and development in the global ICT industry and how we can leverage on them for sustainable national development in Nigeria.
“The 2015 of the coming conference is targeted towards improving our electoral process through ICT deployment. The aim is to use this platform to leverage on the experiences of other nations that have effectively deployed ICT to enhance credible and successful electoral processes in their countries and develop appropriate mechanism that would enhance our own electoral process in Nigeria.
‘‘The e-Nigeria conference will be used as a platform for agenda setting for planning, policy initiatives and decisions targeted towards the development of the Nigeria ICT sector.”
In her address, the INEC boss, said INEC is stopping at nothing in partnering with NITDA and other government agencies to transform the Nigerian electoral system.
According to her, the electoral body is committed in following all the enabling laws to ensure that Nigerian electoral system meets the world best practice.
‘‘We constantly say that INEC is ever ready to implement what is in the law, but as it is now we have an impediment of the law in terms of electronic voting.
‘‘The impediment doesn’t stop INEC from deploying technology in its processes, adding that the commission relied on technology for improvement in the system.
Technology is the answer to many ills in Nigeria. It has been ignored for too long.
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