THE ROLE OF INEC AND ELECTORAL INTEGRITY: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF BIMODAL VOTER ACCREDITATION SYSTEM (BVAS)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. Background of the study

Globally, election stakeholders, scholars and policy experts regard public trust in elections as vital for regime legitimacy. According to Ejalonibu (2019), the most significant feature that accords any nation a democratic statute is the concept of periodic elections, as no political entity can be described as democratic if it is devoid of elections. Among other things, elections create a channel for competitiveness that allows public offices to be keenly contested for by qualified candidates with a view to rendering selfless services to the people. The populace are thus empowered by the political system to determine who represents their political and socio-economic interests in public offices (Piccolino 2016). Elections have therefore become vital tools by which the people, who constitute the electorate, periodically assess the capability and credibility of individuals who contest for leadership positions. It becomes imperative to assert that the electoral system of any given polity is a decision making process that empowers the populace to choose the most qualified leaders to administer the political, social, and economic affairs of the nation.

Generally, electoral management boards (EMBs) have substantial responsibility to ensure decisions, policies and programmes are guided by the principles of, inter alia, integrity and objectivity (Itodo, 2021). Thus, for any electoral process to get public trust, there must be high level of integrity on the part of election management body. So, understanding the integrity of the electoral process is a vital precursor for understanding any other aspect of electoral politics. The recognition of the above assertion has led to the development of electoral integrity as a lively ‘new agenda’ in political science (Kerr & Lührmann 2017). Current challenges in electoral administration in both advanced and developing democracies have highlighted the need for an examination of electoral integrity in such contexts (Kofi Annan Foundation 2015).

In particular, it is important to establish how the integrity of an election management body (EMB) influences public trust in the entire electoral process, and to understand what factors may drive or impede the delivery of highquality elections in such contexts. According to Clark (2017) electoral integrity and the potential for occurrence of electoral manipulation have been sources of concern for policy makers and politicians. In situations, where there exists public mistrust of the electoral management body by sections of the populace, the integrity of the process can become subject of dispute. Where there exists lack of public trust in the electoral commission/process by some political parties and candidates, there is the likelihood that the legitimacy of the results would be challenged and in worse cases there may be widespread violence. Although INEC has been reported to be recording gradual improvement in quality of elections since 2011, several issues appear to raise concerns on electoral integrity and public trust in INEC capabilities to conduct credible, free and fair elections. Before, during and even after the 2015 and 2019 general elections, INEC has been subjected to so many integrity tests; these range from claim of wide compromise of the system, voter registration fraud (including registration of underage voters), various inconclusive elections, technical/logistics failure (which resulted in postponement of elections), alleged manipulation of results and large number of post-election petitions. All the above anomalies are factors capable of damaging public trust in elections. What this means literarily, is that, lack of integrity by the electoral management body can enable election fraud and, even swing an election, produce political alienation, public mistrust, protest, and violence.

1. 1. Statement of the problem

In recent times, pelections in Nigeria had witnessed the desperate bid for political power by many stakeholders with vested interests in the Nigerian electoral process. Some of these stakeholders engaged in all forms of electoral malpractices including multiple voting, impersonation, manipulation and falsification of results which had led to legal actions, electoral conflicts and violence.In view of the negative impacts of electoral malpractices; lack of public trust which obstructs the deepening of electoral democracy electoral management board has now focused on how to mitigate this undemocratic behaviour and improve the electoral process through the introduction new technology (IRI 2015) particularly the Bimodal Voter Registration System (BVAS) and the Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

Although the technology is important to bequeath transparency and by extension, credibility to the crucial presidential election in February 2023. According to The Guradian (Novermber 2022), the  BVAS is a technological device used to identify and accredit voters’ fingerprints and facial recognition before voting, while the IReV is an online portal where polling unit level results are uploaded directly from the polling unit, transmitted and published for the public. At the front end of the online portal, members of the public can create personal accounts with which they can gain access to all uploaded results stored as PDF files. This accessibility of polling unit level results increases transparency and public trust in the process. Upon this premise the researcher seeks to investigate the impact of technology devices on Nigeria election. Ejalonibu (2021) assert that INEC purpose for this policy is to maintain a bulwark against  10 most pervasive weaknesses in Nigeria’s election result management process, namely, falsification of votes at polling units, falsification of number of accredited voters, collation of false results, mutilation of results and computational errors, swapping of results sheets, forging of results sheets, snatching and destruction of results sheets, obtaining declaration and return involuntarily, making declaration and return while result collation is still in progress and poor record-keeping. 

So far, studies have focused on assessing the electoral fraud, documenting manipulative strategies and whether these strategies, used individually or in combination, could undermine regime legitimacy among political elites, collective domestic actors, and international actors ( Gehlbach, Sonin, & Svolik, 2015; Van Ham & Lindberg, 2015). However, these studies are unable to capture the multidimensional and thicker concept of electoral integrity; for example, effect of new technology, independence, openness and adequacy of capacity of an EMB and how these dimensions of electoral integrity could promote or otherwise be problems to public trust, have not been properly investigated.

1. 1. Objective of the study

The broad objective of this study is the role of inec and electoral integrity: a critical review of BVAS technology. Other specific obejetives includes:

1. To investigated whether the establishment of new technology is capable of reducing incidences of electoral malpractice.

2. To determine whether openness and adequacy of capacity of an INEC have significant effect on the acceptance or rejection of election results in Nigeria.

3. To verify whether electoral integrity of INEC significantly affect public trust via affecting observers’ reports in Nigeria’s elections.

4. To find out whether independence of an Election Management Body on implementing BVA & IRev technology will enhance public trust in general elections in Nigeria.

1. Research Questions

1. Does the establishment of new technology is capable of reducing incidences of electoral malpractice?

2. Does openness and adequacy of capacity of an INEC have significant effect on the acceptance or rejection of election results in Nigeria?

3. Does electoral integrity of INEC significantly affect public trust via affecting observers’ reports in Nigeria’s elections/

4. Will the independence of Election Management Body on implemention of BVA & IRev technology enhance public trust in general elections in Nigeria?

1. 1. Significance of the study

Across the world, the introduction of electoral technologies has attracted contestations and controversies driven mainly by its propensity to enhance election credibility and undermine public trust in elections at the same especially when electoral technologies are compromised. Most importantly, electoral technologies ensure efficiency in election administration and limit human interference with the electoral process. This study provided insights into various dimensions of electoral integrity and how they impact public trust in elections. By identifying dimensions of electoral integrity, the study drew attention of election management body in Nigeria (INEC) to key indicators for building public trust in elections. Given the prevalence of electoral disagreements between contenders in this part of the world, knowledge gained from this study would be of prime importance to a variety of stakeholders including INEC, voters, candidates, political parties, government, media, observation missions, development partners, and so on. It would potentially help policy makers to come up with necessary regulations that can improve INEC integrity which in turn may result in public trust in the electoral process. Findings of this study will be relevant to policy mkakers and stakeholders in other to establish appropriate framework for ICT implemention in Nigeria electoral process with in vreiw of the upcoming 2023 geneal elections. Empirically the study will add to the general body of knowledge and serve as a reference material to scholars and student who wishes to conduct further studies on related field.

1.6 Scope of the study

The scope of thiss study borders on the role of inec and electoral integrity: a critical review of BVAS technology. The study will investigate whether the establishment of new technology is capable of reducing incidences of electoral malpractice, determine whether openness and adequacy of capacity of an INEC have significant effect on the acceptance or rejection of election results in Nigeria, verify whether electoral integrity of INEC significantly affect public trust via affecting observers’ reports in Nigeria’s elections and find out whether independence of an Election Management Body on implementing BVA & IRev technology will enhance public trust in general elections in Nigeria.The study is delimited to INEC staff in Abuja.

1.7 Limitation of the study

Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. The significant constraint was the scanty literature on the subject owing that it is a new discourse thus the researcher incurred more financial expenses and much time was required in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection, which is why the researcher resorted to a limited choice of sample size. Additionally, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. However in spite of the constraint all these constraint were downplayed to give the best.

1.8 Definition of terms

Public Trust: Public trust is a catalyst of democratic institutions base on the belief that those who hold public office s will do uphold the interest of the masses and for public good regardless of their personl interest.

Electoral Integrity:electoral integrity is rooted in ‘international conventions and global norms, applying universally to all countries worldwide throughout the electoral cycle, including during the preelectoral period, the campaign, on polling day and on its aftermath.Such norms emphasize fundamental freedoms, democracy promotion, and human rights, without which elections cannot be classified as ‘free and fair’.

BVAS: is a technological device used to identify and accredit voters’ fingerprints and facial recognition before voting,

IReV: is an online portal where polling unit level results are uploaded directly from the polling unit, transmitted and published for the public.