Cyberattacks Complicated INEC's Digital Operations During 2023 Elections, Says Former Commissioner

In a recent interview, Festus Okoye, a former National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), disclosed that cyberattacks significantly impacted the commission's digital platforms during the 2023 presidential elections. Speaking on the podcast Deep Insights, hosted by Austin Agbonsuremi, Okoye elaborated on how these malicious attempts interfered with the uploading of election results, a critical component of the electoral process.

Prior to the elections, INEC had assured the public that results would be promptly uploaded to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV), allowing stakeholders to view scanned copies of result sheets. However, as the election unfolded, the portal's prolonged inactivity raised alarms among citizens and political observers alike. Okoye explained that officials at INEC faced substantial difficulties in uploading the results, initially believing that the issues would be resolved quickly. He stated, “What really happened was that the technology malfunctioned. That is the truth of the matter. For me, technology disappointed us.”

The former commissioner expressed frustration over the situation, noting that the challenges encountered were not adequately communicated to the public. “We need to tell Nigerians that this is the difficulty we are having and that we are trying to fix it,” he continued. Despite the commission's efforts to provide clarity through a press statement, Okoye criticized the technical jargon used, which ultimately led to confusion surrounding the term 'glitch' that became associated with the incident.

Okoye's revelations come at a time when the integrity of Nigeria's electoral process is under scrutiny. The complications faced by INEC during the election have ignited discussions about the readiness and security of digital platforms used in elections, an essential consideration for future electoral cycles. As the nation moves forward, the lessons learned from these challenges may prove crucial in enhancing the security and reliability of electoral technologies.