SMART TECHNOLOGY AS A VERITABLE TOOL FOR CREDIBLE ELECTIONS: A NIGERIAN STUDY

Abstract

An election is a key component of democracy. Since Nigeria gained independence in 1960, the conduct of elections in the political history of the country has been marred by fraudulent practices, corruption, and violence. Despite a series of electoral reforms, the country has not succeeded in reducing incidences of voter intimidation, ballot box snatching and stuffing, multiple voting, falsification of results and other associated electoral malpractices. In fact, the country has failed to conceive of, implement, a free, fair, transparent, and credible electoral process. Admittedly, part of the efforts made toward the conduct of the 2015 general elections is the introduction and use of a smart card reader (SCR) in the quest to ensure free, fair, and credible elections. Building on the gains of the smart card reader in the 2015 elections, INEC introduced an advanced level of smart technology in elections conducted outside the election circle in 2021, known as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). It is against this background that this paper investigated the impact of smart technology on the electoral process. The study adopted a quantitative research method because data were gathered from primary sources. David Easton’s system theory was used for the analysis. The study found amongst others that the introduction of smart technologies—the smart card reader and the bimodal voter accreditation system—reduced the incidence of electoral fraud and enhanced free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria. The study recommends adequate facilities, including a legal framework, for the full adoption and operation of smart technology across all facets of the electoral process, including voting in Nigeria