Former Kwara  Speaker Advocates the Inclusion of IREV in  the Electoral Act  to Reduce Rigging

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

Ahead of 2027 general election, a constitutional lawyer and chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Kwara state, Prof. Ali Ahmad, yesterday advocated  inclusion of Independent National Electoral Commission Results Viewing Portal(IReV) in  the Electoral Act as way of putting an end to the reported cases of elections rigging in the country.

Speaking with newsmen in Ilorin Prof. Ahmad, who is also a  former Speaker of the  State House of Assembly, said that  the development would go a long way of bringing transparency  in the conduct of  elections in the country.

He said: “I want to say that, let the IReV be in the electoral act  of the country, the era of rigging any elections would be a thing of the past in the country. “The  usage of IREV  for our elections would allow every voter to vote at their polling units and the results are transmitted electronically to the INEC  portal  and it will help to get results instantly rather than depending of collation officers who may at times inflated the results of the elections on the way to collation centers.

“The IReV would also bring   credibility and acceptability of elections results in the country and this will also stabilise the nation’s democratic institutions.”

He added that, “Once the IReV is included in the constitutional amendments and electoral act of the country, the era of the politicians taking themselves to court over the conduct of the elections would be reduced.

“Every politician would be able to accept the elections results without doubts because the elections results would be seen to be  transparent  devoid of any manipulations and this would also boost the democracy  in the country.”

Ahmad noted that, “ I know it will be very difficult but I belief that if the present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu can allow it to be done, it will bring credibility, acceptability and transparency in the conduct of the elections in the country.”

On the African Democratic Congress in Kwara, the former speaker of the state House of Assembly said that the party has no stand in the political calculations of the state in the forthcoming elections. 

Ahmad said that the ADC has no structure and no members that can withstand the PDP and they will not spring any surprises in the next election in the state.

The former lawmaker, however, urged the members of the PDP to remain united and work together so as to ensure the electoral success of the party in the next elections in the state.