Electoral act: They plan to rig, give ‘someone’ advantage like in 2023 – Bugaje

Dr Usman Bugaje, an Islamic scholar and political activist, has alleged that moves to block mandatory electronic transmission of election results are aimed at preparing the ground for rigging and giving undue advantage to certain political actors.

Bugaje made the allegation on Tuesday while speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show, where he criticised arguments raised against real-time electronic transmission of results.

According to him, claims about the lack of capacity to transmit results electronically are merely excuses meant to undermine the electoral process.

He argued that it was not the responsibility of lawmakers to determine the operational capacity of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, stressing that INEC itself had stated it was capable of transmitting results electronically.

Bugaje questioned why the Senate would speculate about INEC’s alleged inability to carry out real-time transmission when, according to him, experts had affirmed that network coverage across the country was sufficient to support the process.

Bugaje said: “These are all alibis to prepare for rigging. It’s very clear. You have POS in the remotest villages. You have telephones, working, WhatsApp – people sending messages and communicating.

“In any case, it is for INEC to say that we do not have the capacity to deliver. It is not for the legislators to do that. And like I said, INEC itself has recommended in its submission during the public hearing that this is the position.

“So what is the business of the Senate to start speculating about INEC inability to do that when INEC is very clear on his own particular position.

“And experts in the last few days have come out to say that the amount of coverage is more than sufficient for INEC to deliver.

“Remember, even if you post in remote areas, by the time you move into area of coverage, you know the message will find its way to the portal. And therefore it’s not something that is impossible.

“Many countries in the world, which are far less developed in terms of internet coverage, have done exactly this. So really, these are no reasons at all.

“These are alibis, excuses given because they want to prepare for rigging. Otherwise, why should you block it in the 21st Century, with all the advancement. In any case, we have sufficient time to build the capacity of INEC. This can be done in one month.

“So I think the whole idea of giving excuses is suspect. And clearly the intention is to find a way of attenuating the electoral system in a way that will give certain people the advantage to rig our elections like they have done.

“Even last year, you recall clearly, I mean, you recall exactly what happened. They switched off, and then all sorts of images were coming and really up to now, nobody has adequately explained to us what exactly happened.

“I mean, if it was a glitch, why didn’t it happen with other results? Why only the Presidential results? And this is something in a serious country that must have been investigated, and if people were found wanting, they would have been prosecuted, but a lot of these criminals are working scot free.”