Former Ondo State First Lady Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu has sparked widespread debate on social media following her comments on the vote counting process during Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election. In a post shared on her official X account, she drew attention to what she perceived as discrepancies in how long it took for Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to count votes compared to other countries.
Anyanwu-Akeredolu pointed out that while INEC took five days to tally 25 million votes in the 2023 election, the United States was able to count approximately 155 million votes in just 10 hours during its recent presidential election. She emphasized the stark contrast in efficiency, raising questions about the effectiveness of Nigeria’s electoral processes.
Her remarks, which highlighted the difference in counting speeds between the two nations, have stirred considerable discussion about the state of Nigeria’s electoral system. Critics and supporters alike have weighed in on the issue, questioning whether technological advancements or logistical challenges in Nigeria contributed to the delay.
The comparison shared by Anyanwu-Akeredolu read, “2023 Nigerian Presidential Election: Total Votes Cast – 25 million, Counting Duration – 5 days. 2024 U.S. Presidential Election: Total Votes Cast – 155 million, Counting Duration – Approximately 10 hours.” Her post has sparked a broader conversation about the need for electoral reform and technological improvements to enhance Nigeria’s voting process.
