The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that its results viewing portal, known as IReV, is meant to enhance election transparency and is not a result collation or transmission system. The clarification was made by the INEC Director of ICT, Paul Omokore, during a presentation titled “The Role of BVAS, IReV for Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo Governorship Elections” at a capacity workshop for journalists held in Akwanga, Nasarawa State.
Omokore urged journalists and the public not to confuse the uploading of polling unit (PU) results to the IReV with the electronic transmission of results. He explained that the INEC Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) is only used to upload pictures of the EC8A form, which contains the results from the polling units, to the IReV for public viewing. This process does not involve electronic transmission of results.
“Form EC8A is the result that we collated at the PUs. We use BVAS to snap this form and upload the same thing to the IReV portal for public viewing,” Omokore said. “This is not a collation system. It does not tally a system. What it does is snap the EC8A, which is the result at the polling unit, and upload the same to the public view. That is all.”
He further clarified that the use of technology in elections has been effective in achieving free, fair, and credible elections. While challenges are present, INEC has taken additional measures to address and mitigate them.
Ezenwa Nwagwu, Chairman of Partners for Electoral Reform, emphasized the importance of accurate reporting in election coverage during a lecture titled “Ethical Dilemma in Election Reporting: Navigating Bias, Balance, and Promoting Transparency.” He highlighted the key principles of independence, unbiasedness, and accuracy as crucial for the media when reporting on elections.
“Accurate and transparent reporting is the only cure for fake news, which is the responsibility of the media,” Nwagwu stated. He advised journalists to investigate the motives behind news presented by individuals with biased perspectives on the electoral process and to balance their reporting with the provisions of the law.
It is essential to note that since the inception of elections in Nigeria, results have been transmitted manually from polling units to collation centers. The use of technology, such as the BVAS and IReV, is aimed at improving openness and credibility in Nigeria’s electoral process.
By providing this clarification, INEC seeks to ensure a better understanding of the role of IReV and to avoid any misconceptions surrounding the electoral process.+
