2023: Our devices can’t be hacked, INEC claims

Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has assured that it’s electronic devices are impossible to hack.

Mr Jude Okwuonu, the administrative secretary of INEC in Anambra State who gave the assurance, stated that the commission had put in place multiple plans to foil any plan hackers might hatch to hack into INEC devices for purposes of manipulating the outcome of the election.

He said the commission had achieved sophistication to ensure that its electronic devices are not susceptible to hackers, the head of department, ICT/VR, Mr Emeka Nnaji stated that “we are using cloud system in our devices which is a most efficient and reliable saving system.”

“It has firewalls which makes any information being transmitted through it only valuable until it gets to the intended receiver”, he noted.

Okwuonu and Nnaji spoke at a one-way sensitisation workshop held for media practitioners in the state on the commission’s preparations towards the conduct of the 2023 general election.

Head of voter education and publicity, Mr George Edeani, a lawyer emphasised that the commission needed media partnership for the success of the general election, particularly in the area of mobilising voters, monitoring violators of electoral laws, and exposing them, as well as setting agenda for the commission towards making the election free, fair and the results credible.

Head of legal services, Mr Sunday Neigboke stated that the 2022 Electoral Act has empowered the commission to conduct the election electronically stating that the law had laid stronger foundation to guarantee that the outcome of the polls are more credible such that any challenge of the outcome in the court would easily be determined.

He stated that under the new electoral law over-voting can only be established when the total number of voters recorded is higher than the number accredited.

He also explained that non-qualification to vote does not disqualify any candidate of a political party from contesting an election and to be voted for.