Server’s shutdown: INEC can do better, says Amb. Joe Keshi

A retired diplomat and political analyst, Ambassador Joe Keshi has berated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its shoddy handling of Saturday’s presidential, Senatorial and House of Representatives elections across the country.

Ambassador Keshi in a telephone conversation with National Daily, said the alleged shutdown of INEC’s server in the middle of a general election calls for concern, and may be interpreted otherwise if not handled properly.

“INEC is supposed to be on top of its game. It could have done its best to organize a seamless, near perfect election, but this controversy has marred the whole process.

“Everything we expected to go bad has gone bad like in Lagos. We knew there were going to be some potential suppression and violence in Lagos. We have suspicions. And I expected security forces to be on top of their games, but like expected, both the INEC and the security forces have failed Nigerians.

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According to him, it is not just in Lagos, but in other states where many voters were disenfranchised due to no fault of theirs.

“Many Nigerians are complaining, and the silence of INEC over its refusal to upload polling units results in real time is making lots of Nigerians suspicious of INEC’s neutrality in this election.

“In other civilized climes, election is not this difficult with current technology. We just unnecessarily compounded the issues. Elections in these countries are put between 6.am and 7.pm to allow everybody to cast their votes without rancor.

“But in Nigeria, we put too many obstacles in the ways of ordinary Nigerians, making it difficult for them to vote. You know, pulling materials are delivered seamlessly, but here in Nigeria, it is an issue.

“There are some areas, even in Lagos, that electoral materials didn’t get to them until after 12.pm, yet, INEC will tell you voting ends by 2.30 pm. This, no doubt, will give room for controversy theories.

On the issue of server breakdown, Ambassador Keshi said INEC should have taken pictures of authenticated results and put them on its official twitter handle where everyone will see and commend them, instead of keeping quiet.

“INEC should have allowed this thing to go seamlessly. We must allow the will of the people to prevail, not just expressing it. INEC is creating unnecessary controversies around its operations,” he added.