Suppressed proposal: E-voting innovators demand N77bn from INEC, FG

By Juliet Umeh

A US-based medical professional, Dr Adah Obekpa, and Renaissance Network Africa, RNA, an organisation working for the unification of Africa and its Diaspora have filed a lawsuit against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Federal Government over alleged suppression of their contributions to the introduction of electronic voting, E-voting, in Nigeria.

Obekpa and RNA claimed to have proposed the E-voting system to INEC in 2010 and presented the “Renaissance I-voting Proposal for INEC” to Prof Attahiru Jega on behalf of INEC in October 2010.

The innovator’s lawyers, Jonathan Akeme, said in a statement yesterday:  “Our clients, Dr. Adah Edache Obekpa and Renaissance Network Africa, RNA, firmly believe in the rights of creators to benefit from and be recognised for their innovative contributions.

“They view INEC’s actions in circumventing their pioneering I-voting proposal as a violation of these fundamental rights.

“Our legal action seeks to protect not only our clients’ interests but also to uphold the principles of transparency, justice, and fair recognition for inventors and innovators.

“It is our belief that these values must be honored and defended in this matter.”

He explained that the proposal, prepared by Layer3, was given comprehensive media coverage with a special news briefing on the subject matter hosted by Dr Obekpa at the Unity Hall of Reiz Continental Hotel, Central Business District, Abuja, on October 23, 2010.

“According to Dr Obekpa and RNA, the I-voting proposal for INEC is the same in contents, features, design, and operation as the Biometric Verification System, BIVAS, tech device and INEC online result viewing portal, IReV.

“They allege that the failure of the BIVAS and IReV, as well as the lack of complete transparency in the just-concluded 2023 general elections, is a result of INEC’s refusal to adopt salient security features contained in the I-voting proposal submitted to the commission.”