The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has assured Nigerians that results from Polling Units are safe, on both the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
The commission gave the assurance in a statement by Mr Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee in Abuja on Sunday.
Okoye said the commission was aware of challenges with the IReV and its technical team was working assiduously to resolve all outstanding challenges with the portal.
“Unlike in off-season elections where the portal was used, it has been relatively slow and unsteady.
“The commission regrets this setback, especially because of the importance of IReV in our results management process.
“The problem is totally due to technical hitches related to scaling up the IReV from a platform for managing off-season, state elections, to one for managing nationwide general elections.
“It is indeed not unusual for glitches to occur and be corrected in such situations.”
Okoye assured Nigerians that the challenges were not due to any intrusion or sabotage of INEC systems, and that the IReV remained well-secured.
“Our technical team is working assiduously to solve all the outstanding problems, and users of the IReV would have noticed improvements since last night.
“We also wish to assure Nigerians that results from the Polling Units, copies of which were issued to political parties, are safe on both the BVAS and the IReV portal.
“These results cannot be tampered with and any discrepancy between them and the physical results used in collation will be thoroughly investigated and remediated, in line with Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022.”
Okoye said that Nigeria fully appreciated the concerns of the public on this situation and welcomed various suggestions that it had received from concerned Nigerians.
He said while that was being appreciated, it was important to avoid statements and actions that could heat up the polity at this time or promote disaffection toward the commission.
“We take full responsibility for the problems and regret the distress that they have caused the candidates, political parties and the electorate,” Okoye said
Full Text of INEC’s Press Release on IReV Failure on Feb. 25 Elections
CHALLENGES EXPERIENCED WITH THE INEC RESULTS VIEWING PORTAL (IReV)
The Commission is aware of challenges with the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV). Unlike in off-season elections where the portal was used, it has been relatively slow and unsteady. The Commission regrets this setback, especially because of the importance of IReV in our results management process.
The problem is totally due to technical hitches related to scaling up the IReV from a platform for managing off-season, State elections, to one for managing nationwide general elections. It is indeed not unusual for glitches to occur and be corrected in such situations.
Consequently, the Commission wishes to assure Nigerians that the challenges are not due to any intrusion or sabotage of our systems, and that the IReV remains well-secured.
Our technical team is working assiduously to solve all the outstanding problems, and users of the IReV would have noticed improvements since last night.
We also wish to assure Nigerians that results from the Polling Units, copies of which were issued to political parties, are safe on both the BVAS and the IReV portal. These results cannot be tampered with and any discrepancy between them and the physical results used in collation will be thoroughly investigated and remediated, in line with Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022.
While we fully appreciate the concerns of the public on this situation and welcome various suggestions that we have received from concerned Nigerians, it is important to avoid statements and actions that can heat up the polity at this time or promote disaffection towards the Commission.
We take full responsibility for the problems and regret the distress that they have caused the candidates, political parties and the electorate.
Festus Okoye Esq
National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee
Sunday 26th February 2023
