Election: S/W youths seek transmission of results for collation
By Saheed Ibrahim
In a bid to have transparent and efficient electoral processes in Nigeria, youths from South-West Nigeria have called on the National Assembly to amend the 2022 Electoral Act to make the real-time electronic transmission of results for collation mandatory.
They also recommended that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should ensure the real-time transmission of results from polling units to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV) during the 2024 Ondo off-cycle gubernatorial election as contained in their regulations and guidelines for the conduct of elections.
The recommendations of the youths were contained in a communiqué issued after the one-day Youth Forum on Electoral Reform in Akure, organised by The New Generation Girls and Women Development Initiative (NIGAWD) with support from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
The forum provided a platform for youth leaders from the southwest states of Ondo, Ekiti and Osun to discuss the challenges of the 2023 general elections, and to build youth consensus on electoral reform recommendations that can improve Nigeria’s elections if implemented.
The communiqué, signed by NIGAWD Executive Director, Abimbola Aladejare and the Executive Director of Pacesetters for Youth Development Initiative, Jonathan Obatola, reads that despite Nigeria having a youth population, the 2023 general elections fell short of expectations, and unfortunately led to a growing loss of faith in the electoral process by many youths.
The youth forum also called on the national and state assemblies to amend the constitution well ahead of the 2027 general elections, to ensure that all pre and post-election court cases are concluded before the swearing of candidates who win elections.
They also called for the modification of the electoral act to allow independent candidature in Nigeria’s elections going forward.
The communiqué also reads, “That INEC, the police and other security agencies should remain non-partisan and work for free, fair and credible elections during the 2024 off-cycle gubernatorial elections in Ondo State.
“That the use of assistive materials for Persons with Disabilities (PWD) should be made compulsory as part of the election day materials for the Ondo 2024 off-cycle gubernatorial election.”