The Role of Card Reader in the Conduct of 2019 General Elections in Gombe State: A Study of INEC Office Gombe, Nigeria
Abstract
This study examined the role of card readers in ensuring the reliability of polls during the 2019 general elections in Gombe State, using the INEC office as the unit of analysis. Four objectives and one hypothesis were formulated to guide the research. The study population comprised all 207 INEC workers in Gombe Local Government Area of Gombe State, with a sample size of 180 respondents. Both primary and secondary data sources were utilized. Primary data was collected through a questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including the arithmetic mean and standard deviation. An inferential statistic, the chi-square test, was employed to test the hypothesis. The findings revealed a significant chi-square value of 2.71 (calculated chi-square, x-cal) against a tabulated value of 2.69 (x-tab), with p = 2.71 > 2.69. The study concluded that the use of smart card readers contributed to the reliability of the 2019 general elections in Gombe State, Nigeria. Furthermore, the research indicated that several countries had experienced notable improvements in electoral processes after adopting smart card reader technology. The study recommends that residents of Gombe State, and Nigerians in general, adopt smart card readers for all levels of electoral administration. Additionally, to address challenges faced during the 2019 elections, it is suggested that INEC and ad hoc staff receive adequate training in the use of smart card readers.
Keywords: card reader; INEC Nigeria; Gombe State; Gombe local government, Nigerian 2019 general elections.
Abstrak
Penelitian ini mengkaji peran pembaca kartu (card reader) dalam memastikan keandalan pemilu pada Pemilu 2019 di Provinsi Gombe, dengan menggunakan kantor INEC sebagai unit analisis. Empat tujuan dan satu hipotesis dirumuskan untuk memandu penelitian ini. Populasi penelitian terdiri dari 207 pekerja INEC di Kabupaten Gombe, Provinsi Gombe, dengan sampel berjumlah 180 responden. Sumber data yang digunakan mencakup data primer dan sekunder. Data primer dikumpulkan melalui kuesioner, dan analisis dilakukan menggunakan statistik deskriptif, termasuk rata-rata aritmatika dan deviasi standar. Untuk menguji hipotesis, digunakan statistik inferensial berupa uji chi-square. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan nilai chi-square yang signifikan sebesar 2,71 (chi-square hitung, x-cal) dibandingkan dengan nilai chi-square tabel sebesar 2,69 (x-tab), dengan p = 2,71 > 2,69. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa penggunaan pembaca kartu (smart card reader) berkontribusi pada keandalan Pemilu 2019 di Provinsi Gombe, Nigeria. Selain itu, penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa beberapa negara telah mengalami peningkatan signifikan dalam proses pemilu setelah mengadopsi teknologi pembaca kartu pintar. Penelitian ini merekomendasikan agar masyarakat Provinsi Gombe, dan warga Nigeria pada umumnya, mengadopsi pembaca kartu pintar untuk semua tingkat administrasi pemilu. Selain itu, untuk mengatasi tantangan yang dihadapi selama Pemilu 2019, disarankan agar INEC dan staf ad hoc menerima pelatihan yang memadai dalam penggunaan pembaca kartu pintar.
Kata kunci: pembaca kartu; INEC Nigeria; Provinsi Gombe; Kabupaten Gombe, Pemilu 2019 Nigeria.
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