The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has openly admitted to encountering challenges with its INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) during the 2023 presidential election. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakub, emphasized in a report that detailed the Commission’s preparations and activities leading up to the General Election.
According to the report, INEC’s early and meticulous planning since 2010 was in line with its commitment to transparent and well-executed elections. The commission attributed the glitch in the IReV portal to the complex and critical nature of its systems, coupled with potential cyber threats.
The IReV portal, a crucial innovation by INEC for the 2023 elections, aimed to enhance the transparency and integrity of the electoral process. This public-facing platform displays images of original polling unit result sheets as documented in Form EC8A.
Published on the commission’s website, the 526-page report highlighted the unique challenge faced during the election result uploading process. As polling closed and Presiding Officers began uploading result sheet images, issues arose specifically with the presidential election results. Reports indicated a failure to upload these crucial documents, prompting INEC to quickly engage field officials to assess and resolve the problem within the result management system.
The commission’s swift response and commitment to resolving these challenges underscore its dedication to conducting free, fair, and transparent elections. The acknowledgment of issues faced during the 2023 presidential election demonstrates a commitment to learning and improving for future electoral processes.
