Dr. Igwe said while electoral reform and digital innovation are necessary for strengthening democracy and improving transparency, the country must first address critical infrastructure gaps before implementing nationwide electronic voting and electronic transmission of results.
He noted that electronic voting systems depend heavily on stable telecommunications networks, warning that weak or non-existent connectivity in many rural communities could undermine the credibility of the process.
Drawing from his professional engagements across the 171 wards of Ebonyi State, Dr. Igwe said numerous communities still experience poor, inconsistent, or completely absent network coverage.
According to him, during enrolment exercises for the state health insurance scheme, his team sometimes returned without enrolling any individuals due to lack of network connectivity rather than low turnout.
He stated that the challenge is not peculiar to Ebonyi State, adding that many rural areas across Nigeria face similar infrastructure limitations.
Igwe cautioned that implementing electronic voting in areas with inadequate connectivity could lead to disenfranchisement of voters, widen inequality between urban and rural communities, and create opportunities for manipulation under the guise of technical failures.
He warned against creating what he described as a “two-tier electoral system,” where urban centres benefit from functional technology while rural communities struggle with systemic disadvantages.
To address the issue, Dr. Igwe recommended a phased readiness strategy, beginning with nationwide expansion of telecommunications infrastructure.
He urged the Federal Government to prioritize broadband penetration in underserved areas, describing it as a democratic necessity rather than merely a commercial venture.
He also called for strengthened public-private partnerships to accelerate network expansion across rural wards and suggested that minimum connectivity standards should be met at every polling unit before full implementation of electronic voting.
In addition, Igwe emphasized the need to strengthen the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure universal access to National Identification Numbers (NIN), noting that a credible and inclusive identity database is critical to securing electronic voting systems.
He maintained that electoral reform goes beyond the introduction of digital tools and must be anchored on institutional capacity, inclusiveness, and public trust.
While expressing support for the modernization of Nigeria’s electoral process, Dr. Igwe said the transition to electronic voting must be deliberate, strategic, and inclusive to avoid creating more complications than solutions.
He stressed that democracy must remain accessible to every citizen, regardless of location, and urged policymakers to ensure that infrastructure development precedes technological deployment in the electoral system.
