An electoral monitoring Civil Society Organization (CSO), Connected Development (CODE) has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for adapting fast to the new technology in handling voting.
This was even as it also condemned the alleged attack and suppression of voters in Lagos and other States in the governorship/State Houses of Assembly election today, March 18..
The Chief Executive Officer of the group, Hamzat Lawal, at a media briefing, expressed satisfaction with INEC for the early opening of polls in 79 percent of the polling units it observed.
”We must commend the functionality of the BVAS in this election. This indicates the commission’s commitment to embracing this new technology in our electioneering process.”
The group which commended INEC on the uploading of results on the IReV, confirming that some results have already been uploaded on the IReV portal, advised the electoral umpire to keep to the promise of electronic transmission of results for the gubernatorial elections.
The group however, expressed concern over the conduct of the election in a number of polling units.
According to the group, there was violence in numerous polling units across the country, even as it identified Lagos State, Ojo/Iba LCDA Local Govt Area, Polling unit: Princess Eneni Street, Victory Estate, Polling unit code: 091, as some of the affected areas.
”For example, in Ebonyi State, one of our own, an accredited Uzabe field observer, Uzodimma Lucy Ogodo was brutally attacked for refusing to vote for a particular party. This is unacceptable and against the tenets of democracy which we strive so hard to maintain as a nation.
”The democratic contract of our country dictates that we as citizens have the exclusive right to determine who our leaders are and we must protect this right, and this is why we are again calling on security agencies to act swiftly and ensure justice is served.”
