By Nnasom David

The Democratic Youth Assembly of Nigeria (DYAN) has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), particularly its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Directorate led by Dr Lawrence Bayode, for what it described as the effective deployment of electoral technology during the Osun State Governorship Election.

DYAN said its election observation activities focused on the technical components of the electoral process, including voter accreditation, polling-unit results management and the electronic transmission of results to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

In a statement, the organisation said its observers noted that voter accreditation commenced at the designated time, describing the development as evidence of operational preparedness and technical coordination by the electoral commission.

The Assembly also said the electronic transmission of polling-unit results to IReV commenced and progressed seamlessly, providing an additional layer of transparency in the results management process.

According to DYAN, the performance of the technology-enabled components represented a significant step in Nigeria’s efforts to improve the integrity, efficiency and transparency of electoral administration.

The group specifically acknowledged the contribution of Bayode and the INEC ICT team, saying their technical leadership and coordination helped facilitate the smooth operation of the technology-driven aspects of the election.

DYAN maintained that credible elections required not only effective voting at polling units but also reliable technological systems capable of supporting voter accreditation, results management and transparent transmission.

It said the performance observed in Osun could help strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral institutions, particularly when citizens could follow a process that was transparent and reliable from accreditation through results transmission.

The Assembly urged INEC to sustain the progress through continuous system testing, technological innovation, stronger cybersecurity measures, technical capacity development and transparent engagement with relevant stakeholders.

DYAN described the technical performance recorded during the Osun governorship election as a positive signal ahead of the 2027 general elections.

However, the organisation noted that technology remained only one component of a credible electoral process, stressing that effective election management, institutional accountability, transparency and adherence to established electoral procedures were equally important.

The group therefore called on INEC to document lessons from the Osun election and apply them towards improving its technological and operational systems ahead of the 2027 elections.

DYAN reaffirmed its commitment to constructive election observation, democratic accountability and the promotion of electoral processes capable of commanding public confidence.

The organisation again commended Bayode, the INEC ICT Directorate and the wider technical team for their efforts in deploying electoral technology during the Osun State Governorship Election.