Peoples Redemption Party presidential candidate Donald Duke has called for sweeping technological reforms to Nigeria’s electoral system, arguing that voters should be able to cast, verify and track their votes through a more transparent digital process.
The former Cross River State governor said the technology required to improve election administration already exists and questioned why Nigeria continues to depend heavily on manual procedures that can become vulnerable to delays, disputes and manipulation.
Duke argued that Nigeria’s widespread adoption of electronic financial transactions demonstrates that sophisticated digital infrastructure can function across the country.
Duke Questions Dependence on Manual Processes
The PRP candidate drew a comparison between voting and banking.
Nigerians routinely transfer money electronically across cities and rural communities, he argued, yet election administration continues to involve extensive manual processes.
For Duke, the issue is therefore not simply whether the technology exists but whether political institutions are willing to deploy it comprehensively.
He also recalled INEC’s last-minute postponement of the 2019 general election, arguing that disruptions of that scale impose substantial financial and logistical costs on political parties and citizens.
Technology Debate Likely to Grow
Election technology has become increasingly important to Nigeria’s democratic process.
But adopting more technology does not automatically eliminate electoral disputes.
Digital systems require reliable infrastructure, cybersecurity protections, transparent auditing, contingency arrangements and public confidence.
Nigeria must also account for differences in connectivity and technological access across urban and rural communities.
The debate is therefore likely to centre not simply on whether elections should become more digital, but on what form that digitalisation should take.
Credibility at Heart of 2027 Contest
Duke’s intervention comes as candidates and political parties begin positioning electoral credibility as a campaign issue.
The Independent National Electoral Commission will be expected to demonstrate that its systems can handle voter accreditation, election-day logistics and results management across thousands of polling locations.
Opposition parties are also likely to scrutinise the commission closely as political competition intensifies.
For Nigeria, credible elections remain essential not simply for determining winners but for maintaining public confidence in democratic institutions.
Technology could form part of that solution.
But its effectiveness will depend on implementation, transparency and whether political actors and voters trust the systems deployed.
As the 2027 campaign gathers pace, Duke’s proposal ensures that how Nigeria conducts the election could become almost as important politically as the candidates contesting it.
