The Digest:
Former presidential aide Reno Omokri has criticised Peter Obi and other advocates demanding real-time electronic transmission of election results by INEC. In a video circulating on social media, Omokri argued that Obi's "owned bank" failed to guarantee real-time money transfers to its customers last year, recording tens of thousands of complaints regarding app access, failed transactions, and delayed reversals. Omokri questioned how Obi could expect INEC to deliver real-time election results for over 100 million registered voters when a private bank with advanced internet infrastructure cannot reliably serve its ten million customers. He described the demand as inconsistent and unrealistic, given the technical challenges involved.
Key Points:
- The argument shifts public discourse from electoral integrity to technical feasibility and institutional capacity.
- It frames the real-time transmission demand as unrealistic, potentially cooling public expectations.
- Obi and transparency advocates face credibility questions, while Omokri reinforces the government's position.
- The comparison between banking and electoral systems highlights infrastructure deficits affecting both private and public sectors.
- The timing, amid intense debate on the Electoral Act amendment, injects a counter-narrative into the transparency conversation.
Sources: Reno Omokri/Social Media
