The Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal (PEPT) on Wednesday affirmed that the Electoral Act of 2022 does not contain provisions for the electronic transmission of election results.
In a judgement by the five-member panel, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, the PEPT clarified that the only compulsory technological tool for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to utilize in elections is the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
Addressing the issue of non-compliance with the Electoral Act and INEC Regulations and Guidelines, Justice Tsammani emphasized that there is no indication in the regulations that the BVAS must transmit polling unit results electronically.
Additionally, the Tribunal determined that the commission’s Results Viewing Portal (IReV) does not serve as a collation system, drawing support from the judgment in the Oyetola Vs. INEC case.
Justice Tsammani concluded, “There is no provision for the electronic transmission of election results in the Electoral Act 2022. It is, at best, optional.”
