The Member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Chief Ibe Okwara Osonwa, has called for the consideration of conducting elections in one day.
He made the proposal in a chat with newsmen during the three-day retreat on amendments of the Electoral Act 2022, by members of the Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters in collaboration with the Policy And Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), in Abuja.
The lawmaker cited the need to reduce the increasing costs associated with elections.
Chief Osonwa argued that holding elections in one day would not only save costs but also promote efficiency. However, he emphasised the need to perfect the current electoral process before exploring options like diasporan voting.
He raised concerns about the logistics of diasporan voting, questioning how it would be conducted and the potential for increased wait times and fraudulent activities. Chief Osonwa stressed the importance of implementing electronic voting systems for residents before considering diasporan voting.
Answering questions on one-day elections and diaspora voting, he said: “I think it is important that weconsider the proposal to conduct elections in one day. Like everyone else has said, it reduces costs. There is an inherent cost to elections, and it’s increasing with every election cycle. So, it’s very practical that we find ways to reduce costs. I see no practical or analytical reason why we can’t have the election all in one day. It saves costs, and we may have to wait a bit longer for the results, which is fine.
“However, I believe we need to crawl before we walk. We need to perfect the elections we’re conducting now before we can consider diasporan voting. How will diasporans vote? Will they use ballot papers? Will they sign and send them in? How long will that take? It increases the wait time, which also increases the likelihood of fraudulent actions. If everything were done electronically through voting machines, it would make it easier for votes to be counted credibly before everyone. Until we’ve enacted electronic voting in this country for residents, we can’t start talking about diasporan voting.”
