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Electronic Voting As First Step to Restoring Nigerian Voters’ Trust in Democracy
By Joel Popoola
Amid all the heartbreak and hardship, it is hard to imagine any good at all coming out of the COVID-19 crisis – but around the world the pandemic is forcing governments to finally move on from out-dated political practices and do democracy differently.
In the United Kingdom, we have seen the national government holding press conferences, public hearings, parliamentary debates, committees and even votes via video link.
Russia is said to be actively considering online voting.
Nigeria is no different.
The Independent National Electoral Commission this week announced that it intends to “pilot the use of Electronic Voting Machines at the earliest possible time… (and) work towards the full introduction of electronic voting in major elections starting from 2021.”
This development would probably not have happened where it not for INEC having to design socially-distanced elections to keep officials and voters safe in the time of the cornonavirus.
Necessity is the mother of invention. On this occasion it might also be the midwife of a more effective democracy for Nigeria.
As the head of a campaign to make Nigeria Africa’s first truly digital democracy, I believe that this is a huge step forward for improving the credibility of elections in the eyes of Nigerian voters.
Nigeria has the worst voter turnout in West Africa – with almost half the number of voters turning up to vote in last year’s presidential election than did in Ghana’s most recent contest.
And things are getting worse. The turnout in the last Nigerian General Election was just 35% – all-but half the 69% it was in 2003.
Why, Well, as one international commentator put it: “The average Nigerian voter does not believe her vote will count. She has been scarred by years of violence, rigging, and predictability. The numbers reflect this”.
Electronic voting can be the first step towards reversing that decline.
Using electronic voting machines, Nigerian voters can have much more confidence that the vote really was cast for their candidate they intended to vote for – or has been counted at all. Ballot-stuffing could also become a thing of the past under a truly transparent system where every vote can be electronically accounted for.
As for predictability, it is no secret that this is another reason why Nigerians can be so reluctant to vote. As the INEC policy statement itself points out, only 10 per cent of all bye-elections since 2015 led to a change in result. In an election where the result is a forgone conclusion, many Nigerians see simply no point in voting – even if their favoured candidate is the one guaranteed to win!
Electronic voting was trialled in Kaduna state in 2018 and the results were impressive.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai was praised for his state’s efforts to promote transparency and electoral integrity, voters even found the process of voting quicker and faster – which may also encourage them to vote (nobody wants to queue!)
Even more strikingly four Kaduna elections were won by the opposition rather than the incumbents. People knew their vote would have an impact. So they voted.
Electronic voting could be a crucial first step in restoring Nigerian’s trust in the democratic process. And trust can be a scare commodity in Nigerian politics.
That is the thought behind the Digital Democracy campaign I head. We created the free Rate Your Leader app to use smartphone technology to allow elected officials to interact directly with confirmed voters in the divisions they serve.
This way politicians and people can engage person-to-person, understanding each other’s needs and positions. And voters can even rate their politicians for their transparency and accessibility.
And believe me, all it can take sometimes to build trust is person-to-person contact.
I remember one local politician telling me about how a voter rang him up in fury to complain that the local government was investing money instead of spending it on local services.
The politician just pointed out that no government spends all of its cash the same day it gets it. When it knows it has money it doesn’t have to spend for several months it puts it in a savings account and uses the interest to pay for more local services. The voter actually went away delighted that his local government was being so savvy with its money!
Democracy is digital. More Nigerians own a smartphone than vote. So why stop there? Could Nigeria become one of the first nations on Earth to embrace allowing voters to actually vote from home?
Realistically, not enough Nigerians have reliable enough broadband to make this possible – yet.
But if electronic voting is a sensible first step, innovations like this should be our long-term aspiration.
Joel Popoola is a Nigerian tech entrepreneur, digital democracy campaigner and creator of the Rate Your Leader app.
By Henry Ukazu
Greetings Destiny Friends,
A race, in a literary sense, is a contest between two or more persons competing for a prize. A race can be a sprint, relay, marathon, middle-distance, long-distance, and hurdles. When it comes to running a race, every single step is important because a wrong move can affect the entire outcome. Can you imagine where an athlete has a faulty start or enters the lane of another athlete. That athlete will be disqualified. Can you also imagine a case where an athlete misses the baton; it will definitely affect their chances of winning the race.
Beyond the race on the tracks, there’s also a larger race on the field of life. This race is not interested in whether one is an athlete or not. It is open to everyone living. Consequently, everyone must run his race with his mates and contemporaries, and here’s why.
In the journey of life, everyone is entitled to running their individual races. Nobody will run another’s race for them; the best anyone can do for another is assist in providing an enabling environment for the race. For instance, our parents, mentors, siblings, relatives, benefactors, churches, government, among others have all contributed in one way or another to shape our journey. They did it so that we won’t be found wanting when we step out to the tracks to compete with mates.
Let’s face it, our parents, siblings, relatives may have supported us with resources in training us in schools. Our mentors, benefactors, government, churches, etc. may have provided an enabling environment and by putting the necessary structures for us excel. The government can formulate policies that will enable progressive minds to thrive. All these acts are structured to give us an edge in life.
One may be wondering why this illustration important; well, the simple reason is because we must run our race at the right time, otherwise, we’ll be left behind. My beloved mother Lolo Agnes Ukazu, will always say, when your mates are running, run with them. That statement might sound ordinary, but it is very deep. One may be wondering what it means, well, it simply means, it’s always good to do the right thing at the right time. For instance, there’s a right time for one to go to school, get married, have kids, invest and give it back to society. When one misses a stage, it might be hard to get back on track. So, when one’s mate is going to school, please, if you have the time and resources, join them and go to school, marry, have children, invest, etc. because at the end of the day, everything will align together if done properly.
My late mother will always say, when one is born, the person won’t enter his/her mother’s womb again. The next task for the person is to run their race by fighting their war, and this entails running their race by taking ownership of their life. When your mates leave you behind, it might be difficult to catch up with them. May God help you if they have gone far.
It’s sad to see uniformed minds who always think their messiah or destiny helper will come from heaven. They fail to understand that “Power is never served a la carte“. One will have to struggle to earn it. That’s simply how life works. Anything anyone desires, one will have to roll their sleeves and do the needful. If the universe is kind to you, it will send you destiny helpers, associates, benefactors, mentees, and resourceful people who can assist in birthing your vision.
The universe can also make the government formulate a policy for you. I have since come to the sublime submission that in life, we are the architect of our lives. According to my late dad, Chief Lazarus Ukazu, “any name anyone wants to answer, that person must work hard to earn the name. Again, this is running your race.
Overtime, I have discovered, when you begin a race, people from north and south will align together to assist you in birthing the vision all things being equal. Most of the work I have been celebrated didn’t come because I was smart, even though smartness may have contributed, but the true success was a result of my accomplishment. For instance, as an author, I use my books to create curriculum for my target audience, meet resource people and organization. I didn’t wait for my mentors or anyone to put me in the spotlight. Rather, they saw my work and appreciated the value and problems I was solving, and they extended a hand of fellowship to partner with me.
I didn’t fold my hands and wait for manna from above. No, I rolled my sleeves. I didn’t feel entitled to any favor, I didn’t complain, rather I fixed the problem, and as they say, the rest is history.
To run your race with your mates, timing is critical. You don’t want to have children at old age when you are supposed to be resting. Imagine being in a Parents Teachers Association meeting with children who are supposed to be your kids. Again, when your mates are busy grinding by adding value to their life, please endeavor to do the same because when they get to the top, they’ll find resourceful people who have added to their life. So, imagine a case where one has developed themselves and they still fail, they still stand a better position to attract opportunities because of the bold actions and steps they have taken.
From personal experience, I have seen people who just relax with hope that if a friend succeeds and gets to the top or makes money, they will be remembered, but these uninformed minds don’t know that life doesn’t work that way. As an accomplished author and human capacity development expert, most of the heights I have attained were simple because I collaborated with resourceful minds working the same space or I had people who believed and saw value in my work.
I don’t know what your storyline is, I just want you to know that if you don’t run your race, other people will run it for you. My prayer for you is that you may not be a spectator in a race you are supposed to own.
Henry Ukazu writes from New York. He works with the New York City Department of Correction as the Legal Coordinator. He’s the founder of Gloemi. He’s a Transformative Human Capacity and Mindset coach. He is also a public speaker, youth advocate, creative writer and author of Design Your Destiny Design and Unleash Your Destiny . He can be reached via info@gloemi.com
Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, to enter a defence in his ongoing trial for alleged criminal defamation of President Bola Tinubu.
In a ruling, Justice Umar rejected a request by counsel to Sowore, Marshall Abubakar, that further hearing in the case be adjourned until after the court’s forthcoming vacation.
The judge ordered that further hearing in the case be conducted daily, beginning from Friday, June 5, when the defendant shall be obligated to open his defence.
Sowore, an online publisher, is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly making false claims against President Tinubu by calling him “a criminal” in posts he made on his X and Facebook accounts.
At the day’s proceedings, the prosecuting lawyer, Akinlolu Kehinde (SAN), said the case was fixed for June 4 to get the Chief Judge’s response to a May 19, 2026 letter from Sowore requesting that the case be assigned to another judge.
Kehinde said he was served on May 26 with a copy of the Chief Judge’s response, dated May 22, in which the defendant’s request was declined, and the court was ordered to continue hearing the case.
He then applied that the judge orders the defendant to enter his defence.
Responding, Abubakar claimed that a portion of the Chief Judge’s response directed the defendant to file a formal application so that it could be heard in open court.
Abubakar urged the court to adjourn the case until after the court’s forthcoming vacation to enable his client to participate in next year’s presidential election.
Replying, Kehinde faulted Abubakar’s interpretation of the Chief Judge’s response.
He stressed that the case before the court had nothing to do with political activities in the country.
“The letter from the Chief Judge of this court did not ask the defendant or his counsel to file an application for recusal. So, it is disingenuous for counsel to read into the letter an interpretation that the Chief Judge did not include in the letter,” Kehinde said.
Following a disagreement between both lawyers on the content of the Chief Judge’s response, Justice Umar called for a copy of the letter and read through it, following which he declared Abubakar wrong.
“From the content of the letter, there is nowhere the defendant is asked to file an application before this court.
“This court is not denying the defendant the right to file any application. This can be done anytime before judgment,” Justice Umar said.
The judge said the current stage of the case merely required the defendant to enter his defence.
Thereafter, the judge ordered Sowore to enter his defence.
He also ordered that the hearing in the case proceed daily, in line with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).
Following the judge’s order, Abubakar sought an adjournment until after the court’s vacation for the defendant to open his defence.
Again, Kehinde, SAN, objected, noting that having ruled and ordered a daily hearing, the ruling of the court was in consonance with the law.
“The law is that the defendant shall proceed with his defence. There is no option. We are ready. There is no room for dilatory practice for a defendant facing a criminal trial,” he added.
The prosecuting lawyer also said that “the option left at this point is for the defence to continue or simply be foreclosed. It is either they continue, or they are foreclosed”.
Justice Mohammed Umar subsequently adjourned until June 5 for the defendant to open his defence.
Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced four terrorists to death by hanging for carrying out the June 5, 2022 deadly attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State.
The convicts were among the five accused persons who had been standing trial on a nine-count terrorism charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS), in connection with the attack at the church where over 40 worshippers were killed, and over 100 suffered varying degrees of injury.
They are Idris Abdulmalik Omeiza (25), Al Qasim Idris (20), Jamiu Abdulmalik (26), and Abdulhaleem Idris (25).
The fifth defendant, Momoh Otuho Abubakar (47), was discharged and acquitted.
In his verdict, Justice Nwite convicted the four defendants on all nine counts of committing acts of terrorism in breach of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, citing crimes including membership of a proscribed terrorist group — Al-Shabab (an ISWAP affiliate), conspiracy to commit a terrorist act, and kidnapping, hostage-taking and killing the over 40 worshippers.
He held that the prosecution proved its case against the convicts beyond reasonable doubt.
Nwite, however, held that the prosecution failed to prove its case against the fifth defendant.
Scores of people were killed, and many were injured when gunmen opened fire on worshippers at the Catholic Church in the headquarters of Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The incident sparked widespread condemnation, with various individuals and groups calling on the government to ensure the assailants were arrested and brought to justice.
The DSS had called witnesses to establish the allegations against the defendants in the trial that began on August 1, 2025.
The trial court admitted the confessional statements of the defendants following the conclusion of the trial- within-trial conducted to establish that the witnesses’ statements were voluntarily given.
One of the five accused persons, Omeiza, had told the court how he was arrested by the secret police.
Opening his defence, he was led in evidence in an accelerated hearing conducted at the instance of the DSS, by his lawyer, Abdullahi Muhammad.
Although Omeiza claimed to be an auxiliary nurse, he chose to narrate his testimony in Ebira, prompting the court to seek an interpreter.
He told the court that he was arrested on August 1, 2022, alongside two other young boys named Hauwa and Yusuf, in the same house.
In his lengthy testimony, the defendant told the court that it was at the DSS facility in Lokoja, the state capital, that he met the fifth defendant, Abubakar, who had also been arrested by operatives of the secret police.
At the DSS office in Lokoja, Omeiza had explained that the four of them were kept in a room where information in respect of their names, schools attended, their work, and their father’s name was obtained and recorded.
He had said the following day, he volunteered a statement and was in detention till August 18, 2022, when he got to know that his elder brother was also arrested.
Omeiza had also claimed he was detained alongside his elder brother in the same room where interrogators questioned them about the attack on the Owo Catholic Church.
In his final submission, counsel for the prosecution, Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), had urged the court to convict the defendants and impose the maximum sentence of death in view of the enormity of the crime they allegedly committed.
Adedipe had argued that the prosecution painstakingly established its case against the defendants through compelling evidence and detailed investigations, which he said reflected the determination of security agencies to ensure accountability for one of the deadliest attacks on innocent worshippers in Nigerian history.
But counsel for the defendants, Abdullahi Mohammad, prayed the court to discharge and acquit his clients on the grounds that the prosecution was unable to establish its case against them.
