Ini Ememobong: Voter Confidence in Polling Unit Results is Crucial for Participation

The National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Ini Ememobong, emphasized that restoring voter confidence hinges on the accurate transmission of polling unit results.

In a recent interview aired on ARISE NEWS, Ememobong articulated that voters are more likely to turn out if they are assured about the activities at polling units during elections.

"Voting has become an act of either faith in or skepticism about the electoral system. Out of all registered voters, merely 26% showed up for the last elections. Voter registration is intended as a preliminary step towards actual voting. If individuals can trust that the actions taken at polling units are the same as those transmitted, enthusiasm to vote will surely increase," he expressed.

Ememobong went on to caution that despite the reliance on electronic voting systems such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the potential for collusion within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could still lead to result manipulation across Local Government Areas (LGAs).

He said, "Collusion among certain INEC officials can result in duplicate printing of electoral results, specifically the EC8A forms, thereby creating scenarios where two sets of results might be presented for acceptance."

He elaborated on the methods of manipulation, explaining how INEC personnel may contact polling unit officials to inquire about total voter accreditation numbers. While BVAS allows for verification of these numbers, the actual voting remains manual and susceptible to fraud. Ememobong described how some election officials have previously attempted to secretively alter results by storing result sheets in their residences, emphasizing that voters harbor justifiable fears due to the history of these malpractices.

Additionally, Ememobong expressed dissatisfaction with the National Assembly’s frameworks regarding the nomination processes for political candidates.

"While acknowledging that the National Assembly possesses the authority to legislative guidelines around elections and party management, the wording of Section 228B suggests the need for laws that actually 'guide' a transparent process of candidate nomination," he noted.

He reaffirmed the PDP’s commitment to the electronic transmission of election results to enhance transparency at polling units. "We are advocating for the immediate transmission of results once the physical forms are filled. This measure allows us to verify that the physically submitted results match the transmitted figures, without undermining the significance of the physical papers," he concluded.