Verification Voting Machine and the Management of the 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria

Abstract

Election has been seen as a process of choosing a person to occupy a position or an office. Its fundamental element lies in democratic practice worldwide. The conduct of the 1999 transition election as well as the subsequent consolidation elections of 2003, and 2007 were largely marred by irregularities in Nigeria. These irregularities manifest themselves through the exchange of voters' card during election for money, snatching of ballot boxes, announcing of results where election did not hold, falsification of results and underage voting. Action of these politicians have degenerated in enthronement of un-popular leaders, some whom when they emerge began to think less about the masses, since their emergence can hardly be determined by them (masses). These challenges led to series of electoral reforms which gave rise to the introduction of voting technology in the country to checkmate excesses of these politicians.  With the adoption of voting electronic device in the 2015 General Elections by Nigeria's Election Management Body (EMB) − INEC, electoral malpractices became more difficult for politicians and political parties. This paper examined the link between the use of verification voting machines and the outcome of the 2015 Presidential Election in Nigeria. The study is a documentary research and data were analyzed through qualitative descriptive method. Using mixed method approach, the paper found that verification voting machine (VVM) adopted during the accreditation exercise accounted for less fraudulent practices during the presidential election. Consequently, we recommend that Nigeria's electoral umpire should improve on these technological gadgets to avoid some of the challenges it encountered.