Abiodun Ajiboye, the Executive Secretary of the National Institute of Cultural Orientation, recently voiced concerns about Nigeria's readiness for implementing electronic voting, stating that the country lacks the necessary infrastructure. In an interview with ARISE NEWS, he elaborated on the inadequacies, emphasizing that transmitting election results in real-time is infeasible if the voting is done manually. He pointed out that Nigeria's current technical capabilities and resources, including the situation with telecom operators and electricity availability, are insufficient to support electronic voting and secure result transmission.

Ajiboye raised pivotal questions regarding the country's technical readiness, such as the capabilities of telecom operators and the reliability of the electricity supply necessary for such an extensive electoral process. He expressed skepticism about whether the infrastructure of telecom companies is robust enough to handle the demands of electronic voting. His comments highlight the vulnerability of the electoral process in Nigeria, especially in light of past experiences where the systems used by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) faced numerous cyberattacks during previous elections.

These observations bring to light not only the challenges facing Nigeria's electoral system but also underline the broader implications for democracy in the country. The lack of technology readiness raises concerns about the transparency and integrity of future elections. Ajiboye's statements call for a reassessment of the current electoral framework to ensure that it can withstand potential risks and still provide a fair and credible electoral process.