Fear of the electronic voting system

That technological breakthrough and advancements would continue to impact positively on humanity and their activities is not in doubt, what one can not boast about is how prepared society is, due to the limitations of cultural, religious, social, political and economic circumstances, to imbibe such innovations. The problem associated with the traditional methods of the ballot paper and box used to conduct elections in Nigeria since many decades past, accompanied by the cheating devices of politicians, has necessitated for a change resulting in the choice of the electronic voting system in an effort to ensure the transparent counting of votes, transmission, compilation and declaration of election results. Furthermore, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country, directly or through freely chosen representatives. However, if this is done through the design of a transparent electoral system, it will not only add to the momentum of political change, it will also encourage popular participation and enable the emergence of legitimate representatives who can adhere to the needs and expectations of the people. If such electoral system is badly manipulated as has happened in this country for about seven decades, when faulty electoral processes have been used to elect numerous governments; progress towards democracy would be greatly hindered and the nation is bound to harvest numerous forms of social, economic and political instability. There would have been no need to embark on any, electoral system change, had it not been for the complex disputations in respect of past elections in form of election petitio ns at the tribunals and Courts of Appeal, endless complaints by political parties and other unsubstantiated allegations against the electoral body. Should the various electoral personalities that superintended over the periodic election of the past continue to repeat the same mistakes made by their predecessors?. Are these observed shortcomings not therefore due to the repeat of the same methods used at all different elections? Since it is obvious that if the present body reverts to the electoral system of the past, elections are bound to be rigged and disputed, the resort to the use of the EVS, that would guarantee the wish of the people to prevail, is therefore reasonable. The present INEC is not oblivious of the unfavourable public perception about the roles of its predecessors in previous elections, and in an attempt to avoid threading such slippery paths of discord, it has masterminded numerous reforms in the electoral system so as to build trusts, promote public debate and careful consensus building, and promote understanding not just among the politicians and their political parties, but also among election administrators, civil society organizations, commentators and among the citizens of this country in its match towards 2007. This is why it has meticulously promoted the stakeholders fora at the levels of the Federation, States, Local Councils and Wards. It has made numerous amendments in the Electoral Act to remove the lapses pinpointed by the politicians, the electorate and the political parties. The Commission has identified the need to establish an Electoral Training Institute to teach both its permanent and ad-hoc staff as a way of giving formal education to all those involved in the conduct of elections. Furthermore, it has also decided to complete the change of the traditional electoral system of ballot box and paper which has been susceptible to widespread manipulation and rigging in forms of under-age voting, multiple-voting, and ballot stuffing. The Commission has also attempted to implement the other processes of the Electronic Voting System (EVS). Many Nigerians are vehemently apposed to the utilization of the Electronic Voting System for wrong reasons, particularly the fear of rigging and fraudulent manipulation. But unfortunately the opponents of the EVS fail to comprehend the different activities that add up to this system particular as this is not new on the country's landscape as the foundation was laid in 2003 through the compilation of the electroni c voter register which is now marked down for updating or revalidation for use in the 2007 elections. The Commission intends not only to revalidate the Voters Register, but also prepare new voters cards with the pictures and finger prints of their owners which would be electronic machine compliant only at the registration wards of their owners. The point being made is that the electronic voting machine would only accommodate authentic registered voters. The process is so packaged that it would provide a level playing ground for all contestants and political parties so as to end multiple voting, ballots stuffing, under-age voting and all manners of impersonation. Furthermore the votes cast would be transmitted electronically to the collation centres. The point should be stressed that the forthcoming electoral system would be guided by electronics particularly the voting, vote counting and the transmission of election results; they will be beyond human manipulation. The news of the alleged rejection of the Electronic Voting Systems by some members of the National Assembly and many political parties must have come to many as a shock particular those who repose some hopes in the system to provide solutions to the numerous disputes accompanying past elections. Let it be stated emphatically that no electoral system is perfect; but without accountability and transparency, and the sincerity and support of all stakeholders, no electoral system can achieve its intended goal of providing free and fair election. But how do you convince the skeptics that the EVS that has worked in India, Brazil, Bolivia and in numerous other third world countries can work in Nigeria? Let it be stated that the strident opposition coming from some quarters might have arisen due to the failure and the inability of some to comprehend the integrity of the system, lack of basic knowledge and information about its utility and potentiality. The Commission has decided to embark on pilot schemes to educate the populace and to ensure that the display of candidate's pictures and the symbols of the political parties on the voting machines look exactly like the ballot papers to which the electorate is used to. The complaint of illiteracy would not sell therefore since the voters can recognize the symbols of the political parties when ballot papers were being used, the only duty of the voter would be the pressing of the button is front of the symbol of the political parts of their choice. In another sense, opposition to the system could be self-serving, as many prefer the old system for purely selfish interests as they want the system they can easily manipulate, such people do not think about the overall advantage to democracy and the polity at large. On a more dangerous plane, the debate for and against electronic voting machine is assuming a North/South dichotomy in the National Assembly; while the North is complaining that the illiterates are incapable of comprehending the system, the Southern Legislators are in support because the EVM would bring transparency, sanity and accuracy to the electoral system. A lot of Nigerians are interested in the old electoral process in furtherance of business as usual, hence they detest the proposed change, especially as the EVM looks too tight to be manipulated. Many elected politicians will continue to ruminate and dream for the continuation of the fraudulent system that brought them to power, the hoard of thugs which they maintain and arm to the teeth and on whom they have invested much in the game of ballot snatching, ballot stuffing and multiple voting. To join the civilized world in the conduct of free and fair election managent, all these unwholesome activities must be terminate d before the 2007 elections. It is only the inauguration of popular democratic governments as the outcome of free and fair elections that the dividends of democracy can be bountifully reaped by the people. Some members of the National Assembly and other private individuals have also raised some hue and cry about the size of the budget submissions of INEC for 2006, in the preparatory year for the 2007 general elections. They must be reminded that a transparent electoral system is important to a nation's political success and stability, and that of all political institutions practiced under democracy, the electoral system is the easiest to manipulate for good or for bad. As most electoral systems do not come cheap, any investment that would guarantee free and fair election, however expensive, is a good investment. Nobody is interested in imposing on the people any form of expensive electoral system, but if the cheap ones have failed to provide a stable basis for democratic development in the past hence the resort to the use of the electronic voter system which is capital intensive. Once the electronic voters register is perfected; it will only need to be updated periodically by registrants who have attained the voting age. Also once the electronic voting machines are procured, if properly handled and preserved, they will continue to be used many decades to come. This explains the seemingly heavy budgetary provisions of the Commission, and the anxiety over the quick release of funds is understandable because the chain of electoral process must be strategically linked otherwise the whole process can snap. The Commission has meticulously laid out its strategic road plan towards the realization of a transparent, accountable, free and fair election in 2007, provided each of the processes are not executed in arrears. This must have accounted for the serious reservations expressed by the Chairman of INEC; Professor Iwu that INEC is already several months in arrears in its electoral funding towards 2007 General Elections. If the former procedures of electoral system have elicited so much rancour and disputes in their implementation, all the stakeholders, particularly the political parties, must braze up to co-operate with the electoral body to utilize a system that is fraud-free such as the Electronic Voting System which has been embraced by many third world countries. If the thirty-three political parties are actually on the ground, their party agents should be able to prevent the widespread rigging which has plagued the electoral system. The 2006 budgetary provision in Electronic Voting System should be seen as a long-term investment project and if carefully and transparently handled, the nation stands to benefit eventually. It is too late in the day for some Nigerians to be angling for the use of the Option A4 which politicians have adeptly and crookedly manipulated in the past. They need to be reminded that the electronic voting system would not depend on electricity but on dry cell batteries. This is not the time to cry over split milk, the co-operation of all stakeholders are of essence in the realization of the goal of free and fair elections, and if the people are properly schooled in the use of the electronic voting machine, a more endurable democracy would be institutionalised. All Africa

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