Donald Duke Canvasses Adoption of Technology-Driven Electoral System

Former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke is advocating for Nigeria to transition to a technology-driven electoral system. In an interview, Duke expressed deep dissatisfaction with the current manual process, which he believes is riddled with manipulation and lacks voter confidence. He argues that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has failed to inspire trust in the electoral process, causing millions of Nigerians to refrain from voting due to the belief that their participation would not influence the outcome.

Duke highlighted the stark contrast between Nigeria's electronic financial transactions and its electoral system, emphasizing the advanced nature of technology that enables seamless transfer of money across the country. He questioned why the same technology is not applied to voting, which he contends is vulnerable to manipulation and disenfranchises citizens.

Duke noted that INEC's postponement of the 2019 general elections, mere hours before voting began, was a blatant assault on the resources committed by political parties and an affront to Nigerians' integrity.

Furthermore, Duke criticized the ongoing vulnerability of the electoral system, pointing out that weaknesses in the process have eroded democracy, fostered voter apathy, and provided incumbents with an unfair advantage. He warned opposition presidential aspirants against allowing personal ambitions to hinder the collective goal of unseating the incumbent in the 2027 general election.

Duke urged political leaders to focus on supporting the most qualified candidate for good governance rather than allowing individual aspirations to divide their efforts. He emphasized that the future of Nigeria hinges on the choices made in the upcoming election, urging citizens to unite and support the best candidate for the nation's betterment.