In a recent tweet, Nigerian politician and former senator Shehu Sani humorously suggested that Ghana could borrow Nigeria's Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) and the Independent National Electoral Commission's Results Viewing Portal (IRev) for their upcoming presidential elections. Sani's comment, posted on his verified Twitter account, was made in the spirit of African solidarity and cost-saving measures.
Scheduled for December, Ghana's presidential elections have been a topic of interest across the continent, as the nation prepares for another critical democratic exercise. Sani’s tweet read: “Presidential Elections in Ghana is scheduled for December. In the spirit of African brotherhood and to save cost, make we just borrow dem our BIVAS and IRev.”
This suggestion comes at a time when electoral integrity and technological advancements in voting processes are under scrutiny across many African countries. Nigeria’s BIVAS and IRev systems were prominently used in the 2023 general elections, aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in the voting and results collation processes. The BIVAS technology is designed to ensure that only accredited voters can cast their ballots, while IRev allows real-time transmission of results from polling units, reducing the likelihood of tampering.
Sani's light-hearted proposal also emphasizes the broader theme of regional cooperation and support among African nations. The idea of sharing electoral technology highlights a practical approach to resource optimization and mutual assistance. While his comment was made in jest, it sparks a conversation on how African countries can collaborate more closely to strengthen democratic institutions and processes.