INEC lauds technology for the success of 2015 elections

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December 8, 2015 5:26 PM

INEC gave credit to Information Technology (IT) for the successful conduct of the 2015 general elections.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) gave credit to Information Technology (IT) for the successful conduct of the 2015 general elections.

The Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this on Monday in Abuja when he received a delegation of Benin Electoral Commission, led by the Beninoise Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Onyedipo Falaye. He said that the successful deployment of technology was the main reason for the success of 2015 elections.

“The changes that made the 2015 election a success was IT, beginning with voter registration, collation and transmission of results” Yakubu said.

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He promised that INEC would share the experiences and ideas that enabled it to succeed in the last general elections with members of Benin Republic Electoral Commission. The Benin Republic general election holds on February 28, 2016.

“INEC would assist Benin electoral commission to develop its Information Technology towards next year’s general election in that country” he stated.

He pressed on the fact that the security formulation ranging from apex to down level is very important for the fair conduct of the elections.

“INEC succeeded in formulating the security system. We have inter-agency committee on security both at national and down to local government level. There are representatives of Army, the police and other security agencies, and the security meeting is held on regular basis.”

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“There is no free and fair election where there is insecurity” Yakubu said.

Falaye, the Beninose Ambassador, in his speech commended INEC on the success of the last general elections and its inputs will be helpful for the successful conduct of Benin general elections of 2016.

“The delegation is here to understand the secret behind the success of the commission in the last general elections. Co-operation and capacity building between the two commissions is needed for better procedures of elections to evolve” said Falaye.

He also said that Benin electoral commission wants to take this relationship to a higher level.

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