Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has stated that callsfor real-time electronic transmission of election results by Peter Obi andother opposition figures stem from a lack of grassroots party structure. Speaking on Politics Today Channels TV, Omokri argued thatpolitical parties with strong structures should focus on deploying agentsacross all polling units rather than relying solely on technology. According to him, parties are expected to have agentspresent at every polling unit during elections to monitor the process and signresult sheets. “If you have your party agents in every polling unit, it isimpossible to rig,” he said. “At the polling unit, the presiding officer signs the resultand all party agents sign. If anything different is declared elsewhere, you cantender that result sheet in court.” Omokri referenced Form EC8A, the official result sheet usedat polling units, explaining that once duly signed by party agents and thepresiding officer, it becomes a legal document that can be relied upon in theevent of disputes. He claimed that during the 2023 general elections, theLabour Party did not have agents in all polling units nationwide, particularlyin areas where it performed poorly. “In polling units where they lost and did not have agents,they assumed they were cheated,” Omokri stated. “The issue is not about real-time transmission. The issue isstructure. Whether it is ADC or Labour Party, get your party agents in everypolling unit in Nigeria.” While acknowledging concerns about electronic transmission,Omokri maintained that strengthening party presence at the grassroots levelremains the most reliable safeguard against electoral malpractice.
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