NEC national commissioner and chairman, electoral operations and logistics committee (EOLC), Okechukwu Ibeanu made the stand known on Tuesday.
INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is unconstitutional for it to get approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) before it can electronically transmit election results in Nigeria.
INEC said this while rejecting the idea.
INEC national commissioner and chairman, electoral operations and logistics committee (EOLC), Okechukwu Ibeanu made the stand known on Tuesday during the commission’s third quarterly meeting with media executives.
He said the constitution has already empowered INEC to do everything necessary to deliver credible elections in the country without having to defer its operations to external influences.
In his words, “That is absolutely unconstitutional. You cannot ask INEC to seek the approval of another agency of government to transmit results electronically when actually INEC has the power to impose duties on NCC to achieve electronic transmission of results.”
“I completely agree that in the context of underscoring the independence of the commission, section 160 of the constitution has done everything it needs to do. What is left is for INEC to use the power it has under the constitution to achieve its aim.”
Recall that the Senate had during its consideration of the electoral amendment bill, concluded that before INEC can deploy electronic transmission of election results, the electoral umpire must secure the approval of the NCC.
The lawmakers had argued that the NCC is in the right position to determine if results could be transmitted electronically in Nigeria.