Ondo APC Primary: Ikubese Advocates Electronic Voting in Party Direct Primary

Former presidential aspirant and convener of the #YesWeFit revolutionary movement, Dr. Thomas-Wilson Ikubese has advocated for the adoption of electronic system of voting in the primary elections of political parties in Nigeria.

Ikubese, while speaking on TVC news’ program ‘standpoint’ on saturday, applauded the All Progressives Congress (APC) for choosing the direct primary method for the ondo state governorship party primary election.

“Let me start by commending the leadership of the APC, both at the national level and in ondo state for having this primary election to come as direct primary. This is what we have always said. I also call on other political parties and in other states to adopt direct primary because it makes the process of choosing their candidates more participatory, when compared to the indirect, where only a few people are picked to choose for the party members.” he said.

He further said that the direct primary system makes it difficult for aspirant and politicians to monetize the voting system, thereby making voters go in the direction of the highest bidder, like it’s generally believed to happen during the Indirect primary where only a sizable number of delegates vote.

He added that the adoption of electronic voting will eliminate multiple voting, ballots box snatching and other manipulative strategies that have been used in the voting process, in the past.

“There’s virtually anyone who has come to vote, that doesn’t have a national identity number (NIN). so instead of having to wait for party electoral officers who sometimes arrive late at voting centres. carry party registers and tick names for accreditation. People can easily cast their votes on their phones with the deployment of the electronic voting technology.” he added

Asked about the challenges of internet penetration and other challenges that may work against electronic voting, he said it will work if nigerians are determined to make it work. He further cited the banking system in the country, which according to him, has gone almost completely digital, as an example of how possible electronic voting can be.