My people, make I yan you wetin dey happen for electoral matter inside Naija. Former governor for Bayelsa State, Senator Seriake Dickson don drop serious gists wey go make many people wonder.
This guy talk say Nigeria no dey ready for electronic voting, and him no too small to give his own opinion. He dey waka for Senate, and him talk am clear say all this e-voting gist wey people dey shout about na just talk for mouth. Real-time transmission of election results? Abeg, wetin be that one?
For one interview wey him do with ARISE News, Dickson talk say the whole idea of “real-time” na just confusion. My guys, if you dey talk about election, e no just be about pressing button and boom! Your vote don land for portal like magic. He say, “We no dey vote electronically for Nigeria!” Na real gist be this o!
He no stop there, o! Dickson talk say the people wey dey push for that e-voting matter dey just dey misinform everybody. He describe “real-time” as something wey no get head or tail, and e no dey guarantee say election go clear. Na so him take yan am.
Senator Dickson still dey vex for the Senate emergency plenary wey dem carry come for 60(3) clause of the Electoral Act, after every wahala wey don dey go on. Dem approve say results go dey go straight to INEC result viewing portal, but wetin happen? Manual collation still dey dey there as backup, just in case network fit fall. E be like say dem dey try to play smart, but Dickson no gree make them blindfold am.
Him don make am clear say this thing no be about him position as Senate spokesman, but as person wey don sabi wetin dey happen for inside the process. He don claim say affairs for e-voting don dey run for almost two years now, dey gather people, dey carry workshops, all under the Senate Committee. Na wetin dem dey do be say, dem dey try build something wey go fit work for the country.
When him come back to the Senate after him bereavement, wey him lose person wey close to am, him come face the Senate leadership, dey sharp mouth how their earlier decision fit affect the people. He talk say dem suppose come together, find solution wey go benefit everybody.
Dickson talk say, despite all this wahala, him believe say the primary evidence we go use to prove who win election na the EC8A form. Once vote don land, dem go sign am off, then INEC go dey push result go IREV. Him dey feel say this one go make sense jor! But, him no gree with the manual collation part wey dey there for network failure. E say, “Parliament no fit dey work without compromise.”
As to the bigger picture for e-voting, Dickson talk say the talk wey dey go on no dey just jump like dem dey enforce direct primaries on all parties. E say, “This one wey dem dey push na from APC, and e no fit be say dem wan enforce am on everybody.” E no gree make anybody come use their might control how democracy go run for the nation.
He comot with a strong statement say, “Even as we dey talk, INEC don set guidelines wey dey force dem to do electronic transmission to IREV already.” This man na correct person wey get the spirit of the people for his heart! E no just dey gree make things dey go wrong, and in conclusion, him say we need to move step by step to make the election system better. Na gradual progress we go take to work things out.”
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