By Emmanuel Oloniruha
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the deployment of candidates nomination portal for elections.
The party gave the commendation in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Debo Ologunagba in Abuja on Friday.
Ologunagba urged INEC to replicate the success recorded in deploying the INEC Candidates Nomination Portal (ICNP) technology to ensure transparent, fast, credible polling and transmission of results in the 2023 general elections.
He said the technology allowed political parties to use specified and dedicated access codes issued by INEC to log in and electronically upload the names and particulars of their candidates to the portal.
The technology, according to him, also allows parties to nominate in a manner that guarantees promptness, safety of materials as well as the integrity and transparency of the submission process.
“The PDP notes the effort by INEC to train mobilisation staff of political parties for seven days; an initiative that play key role in the success of the ICNP process.
“The party urges INEC to organise more capacity building trainings for its officials ahead of the 2023 general election.
“Our party believes that the success of the ICNP is a further pointer that technology can be effectively deployed to enhance the credibility of sensitive electoral processes,” Ologunagba said.
The national publicity secretary said the technology enabled rapid uploading, transmission, collation and final declaration of election results at all levels.
He said that the PDP, as a critical stakeholder in the Nigerian democratic system, was impressed with the electronic transmission of results in the Osun Governorship election.
The party’s spokesperson urged the commission to expand its capacity so as to withstand the expected pressure in the large-scale transmission of results from across the country in the 2023 polls.
Ologunagba also urged INEC to ensure security of its electronic system to prevent infiltrations and manipulations especially in the 2023 general elections.
“INEC must know that the process of the 2023 general elections is crucial to the people.
“Nigerians expect nothing short of free, fair, transparent and credible elections that will reflect only their expressed will and aspirations,” he said. (NAN)
