By: Dr. Inenyo Esinte.
The 2022 amendment of the Electoral Act has introduced and ushered in a novel modus operandi for our evolving electoral process, with more improvements still expected to make our democratic process truly independent from the interference of external undemocratic forces, aimed at sabotaging our electoral process for self-centered political boons or gains.
Before the amendment of the Electoral Act in 2022, and the subsequent introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) by INEC, our electoral process was bedeviled and characterized by electoral vices such as voter identity theft, multiple voting and thumb printing of ballot papers, false manual accreditation of ghost voters, allocation of fictitious figures as result, ballot sharing and snatching and more, which were perpetrated by political strong men in their enclaves which they hold spellbound.
Though our electoral process is not yet at its Eldorado, and still not totally free from negative influences such as vote buying, destruction of electoral infrastructure and more, significant improvements and progress has heen achieved, especially with the introduction of BVAS for verification and accreditation of voters.
The Electorates now decide the process of electing people who truly deserve to be elected, and not through the influence of some self-a claimed political strongmen who before the amendment of the Electoral Act in 2022 have manipulated our democratic process for personal political benefits at the expense of the Electorates.
Thus, with the advent of BVAS, it is no longer business as usual as it is now, one man one vote, weeding and facing out the archaic order of manipulative political strong men takes it all syndrome.
Every political aspirant will have to campaign to, convince and be at the mercy of the Electorates to be elected, because, with BVAS, every eligible Electorate is now a political strongman and key decider in our democratic process.
Dr. Inenyo Esinte is a Medical Doctor, social commentator and public affairs analyst.
