The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that the forthcoming Anambra State governorship election will be conducted in accordance with electronic voting system, but the commission is not emphatic that electronic voting and electronic transmission of results will be adopted for the poll.
The INEC National Commissioner in Charge of Voter Education, Mr Festus Okoye, who disclosed this, also said the electoral framework for the election is being worked upon.
Okoye, who spoke in Minna, Niger State on Thursday after the despatch of election materials for the Magama/Rijau Bye-election slated for Saturday, also disclosed that the National Assembly could pass the New Electoral Act before the end of the first quarter of this year.
He said the New Electoral Act has provision for electronic voting and electronic transmission of results, adding that: “What the National Assembly is trying to do is to give the commission the discretion to determine when we can commence electronic voting and electronic transmission of results.
“We can only begin that when the commission is ready. If for any reason we are not able to complete the procurement of everything that is required to make sure that electronic voting is used in Anambra election, the next election will definitely be conducted through an electronic voting system.”
Okoye however disclosed that the “Clause by Clause” deliberation of the provision of the new electoral act was completed last week.
He said: “The clean copy will be presented to the National Assembly soon. We are hopeful that by the end of the first quarter, the National Assembly will pass it into law.”
Okoye said INEC will soon embark on the continuous voter registration to accommodate those that have qualified to vote in any election, pointing out that the recalibration of the voters register will also take place.
He also disclosed that the commission plans to expand access to the polling units, as there are so many of the polling units that are overcrowded.
Asked to comment on the ongoing membership registration and revalidation, Okoye said INEC is not involved in anyway because it is a purely party affair.