BY: EMMANUEL CHUKWUMA, ENUGU.
Sequel to concern over low voter turnout in the country, Prof. Jude Mbanasor, National President of the Agricultural Society of Nigeria (ASN), has called for a holistic overhaul of the nation’s electoral process to accommodate electronic voting as a means to restore confidence in the electoral system.
He made this known while interacting with newsmen in Umuahia. Prof. Mbanasor, who lectures at the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, stressed that Nigeria cannot continue to repeat the same electoral practices while expecting different results.
He highlighted that adopting electronic and diaspora voting would enhance transparency, credibility, and voter participation.
He said, “The easiest way to curb voter apathy and improve the credibility of our elections is through electronic voting.
“Our politicians are afraid of real results. They know that electronic voting will produce authentic election outcomes where the votes of the majority will count.”
Prof. Mbanasor threw away the common notion that insecurity is the major cause of voter apathy, while indicating that many Nigerians are discouraged from voting because their votes no longer count.
“The moment people know their votes will count through electronic voting, voter apathy will become a thing of the past,” he said.
Prof. Mbanasor also revealed that technology would make voting easier and more convenient. “It will allow Nigerians to vote from their homes instead of travelling long distances and wasting resources, just to cast votes that may not count,” he submitted.
He, however, dismissed fears of over-voting, indicating that the National Identification Number (NIN) can easily prevent such anomalies. “With NIN, one can vote from any part of the country without irregularities, provided the person is duly registered”.
Prof. Mbanasor called on the National Assembly and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enact laws that would formally introduce electronic and diaspora voting, describing the same as the most viable option toward credible elections in the country.