INEC to Introduce ‘Z-file’ for Credibility in Edo Poll

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that in addition to the card reader authentication, it was going to deploy another innovation called the “Zip with Z-file.”

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, INEC National Chairman made the disclosure in Benin City, capital of Edo State while addressing staff of the Commission.

He explained that the Zip with Z-file, was a tablet with a camera, which at the end of voting and sorting out of ballots, will take a picture and transmit same to a dedicated portal for everyone to view the polling unit result live and direct.

His words: “The Z-file is a tablet with camera that captures the entire voting exercise in every polling unit. It functions in such a way that at the end of the process after voting has been concluded and sorted out, the ballots counted, the picture of the form ECBA would be taken and transmitted to a dedicated portal so that Nigerians can view the polling unit results live and direct by those closed to the polling units.”

He said the innovation was deployed at the Nasarawa State

Central Federal Constituency byelection that before the declaration of results, Nigerians were able to view the few clean results of the polling units.

“It was a great enhancement of the previous elections and this is the major election after the Nasarawa State by-election, so Edo will set the pace for the conduct of other major by-elections and we look forward to a successful not transmission but availability on form ECBA for public views on election day.

The INEC boss admonished staff of the Commission on the need to be neutral in all their doings during the exercise stressing, “Neutrality and professionalism are very important as we are not supporting any political party or the candidate and we are not against any political party or the candidate either.

“Our concern is the integrity and transparency of the process. The choice of who became the governor of Edo State is entirely in the hands of Edo people and we are going to protect the process,” he said.

Stressing the importance of opening the polling unit early because the period of election had been adjusted in compliance with the COVID-19 protocols.