A senior lawyer, Dr Yemi Omodele, has cautioned against excessive reliance on technology in Nigeria’s electoral process, warning that electronic systems could still be vulnerable to manipulation if adequate safeguards are not put in place.
Omodele gave the warning while reacting to issues surrounding electoral reforms at the opening ceremony of his law firm in Ikeja, Lagos.
He further discussed national security, including the ongoing debate over establishing state police in the country.
He said, although technological innovations such as electronic transmission of election results have improved transparency in many democracies, no system is entirely immune from compromise.
“Technology has its benefits, but there is no system in the world that cannot be compromised. Safeguards must always be put in place,” he said, to ensure they are carefully managed.
Omodele also highlighted the critical role of the judiciary in addressing electoral disputes, explaining that courts rely strictly on the evidence presented before them.
Beyond electoral matters, he also weighed in on the ongoing debate over the creation of state police, identifying funding and political control as two major issues that must be resolved before such a system can be successfully implemented.
Omodele observed that although Nigeria does not formally operate state police, many states have already established security outfits performing functions similar to those of conventional policing.
These, he said, include neighbourhood security groups and other state-backed agencies created to support federal law enforcement in maintaining security at the grassroots level.
However, Omodele warned that state police could easily be abused if strict regulations are not introduced to guide their operations.
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