By Timothy Enietan-Matthews
For decades, election seasons in Nigeria have been accompanied by a familiar mix of hope, anxiety and scepticism. Citizens often asked the same questions: Would election materials arrive on time? Would results be manipulated during transmission? Would the final outcome reflect the will of the people? And would the electoral umpire withstand pressure from political actors?
These concerns became deeply rooted in Nigeria’s democratic culture following years of disputed elections, delayed result collation, logistical shortcomings and allegations of electoral malpractice.
As a result, public confidence in the electoral process suffered repeated setbacks, making electoral credibility one of the greatest challenges facing the nation’s democracy.
Recent electoral exercises conducted under the leadership of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), suggest that a significant shift may be underway.
The Ekiti State governorship election, alongside six bye elections held across the country, has sparked renewed national conversation about the future of elections in Nigeria.
Beyond the outcomes of the contests, what drew widespread attention was the professionalism, transparency, efficiency and speed with which the elections were conducted.
For many observers, these elections marked another milestone in what is gradually emerging as a transformation in Nigeria’s electoral administration under Professor Amupitan’s stewardship.
A New Standard
One of the most remarkable features of the Ekiti governorship election was the seamless deployment of electoral materials and personnel.
From urban centres to remote communities, reports indicated that polling officials arrived early, accreditation commenced on schedule and voting proceeded with minimal disruption. Similar levels of organisation were recorded in the six bye-elections conducted simultaneously in various states.
In previous election cycles, logistical challenges often generated controversy, with delayed arrival of materials leading to voter frustration, extended voting hours and allegations of manipulation. This time, however, the narrative was noticeably different.
Election observers, civil society groups, political stakeholders and voters alike acknowledged significant improvements in operational efficiency. Yet perhaps the most important achievement was not merely the conduct of voting itself, but what followed.
IReV and the Triumph of Transparency One of the strongest criticisms of past elections in Nigeria has been the disconnect between polling unit results and final declarations.
The introduction of the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) was designed to address this concern by enabling polling unit results to be uploaded and viewed in near real time.
Under Professor Amupitan’s leadership, the system appears to be increasingly fulfilling that objective.
During the Ekiti election and the bye elections, polling unit results were uploaded promptly, allowing political parties, election observers, journalists and citizens to independently monitor the process.
The rapid availability of results reduced speculation, rumours and tension. More importantly, it strengthened public confidence by enabling Nigerians to compare uploaded polling unit results with officially declared outcomes.
Transparency is not merely about being honest; it is about creating systems that allow citizens to verify that honesty for themselves.
The effective deployment of IReV achieved precisely that. Speed Without Sacrificing Credibility
Historically, prolonged collation periods have often created fertile ground for suspicion and controversy.
The longer election results remain outstanding, the greater the anxiety and the greater the risk of misinformation filling the vacuum.
