2023 Elections: South-South Group Demands Investigation Into INEC’s Technical Glitches
The South-South Grassroots Mobilisations Movement (SSGMM) has called for a formal investigation into the technical glitches that affected Nigeria’s 2023 general elections, urging relevant authorities to question officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and ensure accountability for any established lapses.
The movement made the call in a press statement dated October 22, 2026, signed by its Secretary, Abieyuwa Festus Odogbo, following reported comments by INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, regarding technical problems associated with the 2023 elections.
SSGMM said the controversies surrounding the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) raised serious concerns about electoral transparency, credibility and public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
According to the movement, the introduction of the electronic accreditation and result-viewing systems had raised expectations that election results would be managed more transparently and made accessible to the public in a timely manner.
However, it noted that the technical challenges experienced during the 2023 general elections generated widespread concerns about the effectiveness of the systems and the commission’s ability to fulfil those expectations.
SSGMM maintained that any acknowledgment by the current INEC leadership of technical failures during the elections must be followed by concrete steps to establish what went wrong, the extent of the problems, the officials responsible and the measures taken to prevent a recurrence.
The group consequently called on the appropriate investigative and oversight authorities to conduct a formal inquiry into the technical difficulties associated with the electronic result-viewing and transmission processes.
It also urged the relevant authorities to invite Professor Amupitan and other officials with knowledge of the incidents to explain INEC’s position, clarify the nature of the failures and account for the actions taken before, during and after the elections.
The movement further called on INEC to make relevant technical reports, system audit findings and other non-confidential records available to the public to promote a better understanding of the glitches and their impact on the electoral process.
On accountability, SSGMM insisted that any investigation must go beyond identifying technical shortcomings to determine whether negligence, misconduct or breaches of electoral procedures occurred.
It said individuals found culpable should face appropriate administrative or legal consequences in accordance with the law.
The group also called for comprehensive electoral reforms, including stronger technological infrastructure, independent system testing, improved cybersecurity, effective contingency planning and clearer communication with voters.
It stressed that the credibility of future elections would depend partly on INEC’s ability to demonstrate that the technology deployed during elections was reliable, independently tested and supported by effective backup arrangements.
However, SSGMM cautioned against drawing conclusions about the outcome of the 2023 presidential election solely from the reported technical failures.
The movement stated that acknowledging glitches did not, in itself, establish that the failures determined the election outcome or prove that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s victory resulted from them.
It maintained that such questions must be addressed through credible evidence, transparent investigations and appropriate legal processes.
Nevertheless, the organisation warned that technical failures during an election of such national significance could not be dismissed as minor administrative inconveniences, stressing that electoral integrity remained fundamental to democratic legitimacy.
SSGMM urged the National Assembly and other relevant oversight bodies to give the concerns arising from the 2023 elections the serious attention they deserved.
The movement said public confidence in the electoral system could only be restored through transparency, institutional responsibility, accountability and verifiable reforms.
It reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Nigerians demanding credible elections and the protection of the people's mandate, adding that electoral institutions must be prepared to answer legitimate questions about their performance.
“Nigeria’s democracy must be built on transparency, accountability and the sanctity of the ballot. INEC must provide answers, and the Nigerian people deserve the truth,” the statement said.
The statement was signed by Abieyuwa Festus Odogbo, Secretary of the South-South Grassroots Mobilisations Movement (SSGMM), on October 22, 2026.
For Further Enquiries:
- Organisation: South-South Grassroots Mobilisations Movement (SSGMM)
- Secretary: Abieyuwa Festus Odogbo
- Telephone: 09043187477
- Email: southsouthgrassrootsmobilisati@gmail.com
