A member of the Movement for Credible Elections, Prof. Pat Utomi, has called for greater use of technology during elections, saying Nigerians should be able to use devices to document and livestream proceedings at polling units.
Utomi made the remarks while speaking on Arise News on Tuesday, amid discussions about election transparency and the role of technology in monitoring the voting process.
He argued that restricting citizens from taking technological devices to polling stations for the purpose of documenting proceedings would undermine efforts to make elections more transparent.
The political economist pointed to the United Kingdom and the United States, saying election results and developments are widely monitored and reported by the media rather than depending solely on public awareness of the heads of electoral commissions.
Utomi also advocated the use of body cameras and live streaming at polling units across the country, saying such measures could strengthen public confidence in the electoral process.
“One day I would like to see politicians go to jail for spending public money to run for office. I’m going to prosecute it in the international community someday because it’s thievery. It is criminality, but they do it.
“They think that the state coffers is just to use to campaign. So, those who don’t have as much of that loot that belongs to the people to use can be more creative in the way they prevent elections from being abused.
“Now, typically, what would happen if they have this strange phenomenon they call [party] agents? And a party that can’t have agents in one of all of the polling stations in the country is vulnerable to having results written where they are not present and stuff like that because a system doesn’t work.
“There’re plenty of things today that will make that very difficult. There’s a way that opposition can, and is currently collaborating that will ensure that people be made aware that their votes can count. If people become aware that their votes can count, and they come out and vote, it’s not a 300,000 Nigerian police force that can prevent the people’s will from taking place.
“So, getting the people to know that they can share resources, I’ve heard INEC say all kinds of things about who has authority to do what…
“Do you know who the chair of the electoral commission is in the UK? In the US, I have no clue. Results come from the media who are monitoring elections. If INEC tells us that people can’t bring things to make elections transparent, then they are criminals who want the elections not to be transparent.
“The election should be technologised; body cams, live streaming from every polling booth in the country, and if they don’t want it, let Nigerians take over their country.”
Utomi’s comments come as he and other members of the Movement for Credible Elections continue discussions around opposition cooperation and mechanisms for protecting votes ahead of the 2027 general elections. He has previously advocated polling booth councils and the use of technology, including body cameras and live streaming, as part of a proposed vote-protection framework.
The 2027 presidential race is expected to feature incumbent President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), among other contenders.
Utomi’s remarks add to the ongoing debate over how technology, election observers, political parties and voters can contribute to greater transparency in Nigeria’s electoral process.
