#FixPolitics Initiative has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to focus not just on rhetoric about public trust but also prioritise tangible delivery of a clean, technology-driven and verifiable election infrastructure.

In a statement at the weekend, the Executive Director, FixPolitics Initiative, Anthony Ubani, said the electorate, having endured repeated betrayals, "is ready to put its trust in tested systems", not empty promises.

#FixPolitics welcomed the recent public remarks by the INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, at the launch of the book, The INEC Press Corps: Chronicles of Nigeria's Election Journalists.

It stated: "His emphasis on public trust and the role of journalists in validating elections resonates very strongly with our core values. At the same time, however, we wish to underscore that trust must be grounded in transparent, technology-backed electoral processes.

"We urge Amupitan and INEC to focus not just on rhetoric about public trust and the value of journalism. They must prioritise tangible delivery of a clean, technology-driven, and verifiable election infrastructure."

Amupitan had said, "Elections do not succeed on technology alone; they succeed when the public believes in the information they receive." He went further to describe journalists as "important chroniclers who validate the integrity of the process for the entire nation." He also declared that "the credibility of our electoral process is paramount; it is the foundation upon which our democracy stands."

The Initiative applauded the statements. We agree wholeheartedly that credible elections rely on trust, adding, "We also acknowledge the critical role that journalists play. Accurate, fearless and responsible reporting helps to safeguard democratic outcomes. Their work brings transparency to voting, results transmission and verification. It supports public understanding of what happens before, during and after elections.

"However, we believe it is vital to stress that in Nigeria's context, where human failure, manipulation and partisan interference have repeatedly undermined elections, trust grounded only in words, even by well-meaning actors, is no longer sufficient. Nigerians deserve and demand a robust, evidence-driven process. Technology offers the most reliable path to this."

The deployment of tools such as Bimodal Voter Accreditation System and INEC Results Viewing portal in recent years, according to #FixPolitics, demonstrated that identity fraud, multiple voting and delayed or disputed results can be curbed.

"Indeed, under Amupitan's predecessor, INEC declared that BVAS had "effectively solved the protracted challenge of identity theft in Nigeria's elections," it stated. "As we look ahead to 2027, we and millions of Nigerians expect and will insist on full deployment and seamless operation of BVAS, IReV and any other reliable electoral technology, no half-measures. Anything less will be unacceptable.

"Technology ensures transparency. It leaves less room for manipulation or misreporting. It provides verifiable data that citizens, civil society, electoral observers, and the media can access, analyse and trust."

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