Analytical assessment of comparative advantage of deploying information technology (IT) for the election process in Nigeria

Election management is an aspect of administration that deals with organizing, conducting and publishing of reliable and generally acceptable election result. In Nigeria, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the statutory body charged with the election management. This paper is motivated by the fact that in Nigeria, getting reliable and generally accepted election result by using paper ballot appears unrealistic due to election fraud and violence especially during the climax of the voting or vote counting. The objective of this study is to determine the cost and benefits of information technology (I.T)-based Election management with the traditional voting pattern using ballot papers. The statistical descriptive research Design which involves the basic steps as identification of population, determination of required sample size and selection of sample was used. It was observed that because of its transparent modus operandi, I.T-based electoral management is less prone to electoral fraud and increases the electoral participation in politics as shown in the responses to questionnaires and personal interviews conducted. The authors believe very strongly that appropriate deployment of Information Technology in the electoral process is very likely to enhance voter´s confidence and acceptability of result.