As Nigeria grapples with persistent electoral malpractice, many citizens are voicing their disappointment and calling for significant reforms to ensure the integrity of future elections.
The latest gubernatorial election in Edo State has reignited widespread debate, with both local and international observers raising concerns over irregularities. These concerns are not new, but the frustration among the populace is growing as hope for credible elections fades.
During the Edo State election, 25 observer groups raised alarm over the manipulation of results by election officials. Their joint statement criticized the conduct of collation officers at Local Government and State Collation Centers. According to them, the figures that were gathered from polling units were altered before being declared.
The statement reads, “We reject the result declared because there are two sets of result sheets. One was taken to the field, and another to APC in Edo North, some parts of Edo South, and Edo Central. We observed that the military and police disrupted the collation of results at the wards and local government collation centres, including intimidation of INEC officials that collated results contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines. There is a significant concern about the credibility of the results collation process.
“We reject the result of the election which declared the All Progressive Congress Candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo. There was militarization and use of impunity at wards, local governments and state collation centres. INEC, Military and police have clearly violated the provision of Electoral Act 2022 concerning the collation of results in the governorship election.”
Experts who spoke to VANGUARD said that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has failed to deliver transparent and fair elections. Despite multiple reforms and the implementation of various technologies, manipulation of results still appears to be a significant issue.
Femi Aborisade, a human rights activist, remarked that electoral fraud will persist unless there are strong consequences for those found guilty of manipulating election outcomes.
Aborisade told VANGUARD: ”Future elections may be protected against manipulation by electoral officials only if those suspected to have manipulated the results are made to suffer the consequences for their action. It is impunity that is responsible for electoral officials manipulating results. The critical challenge is whether the system will permit the culprits to be brought to justice. The non-governmental observers, including YIAGA, made a case against the appointment of the INEC Commissioner who conducted the election, arguing that by his relationship with some prominent personalities, he could not be trusted to be concerned with organizing a free and fair election in Edo State.”
“They also decried the shifting of the counting of votes at some local governments to the central collation centre, which was contrary to the electoral law and guidelines issued by INEC. The INEC did not bother. Therefore, impunity, including not acting by the predetermined electoral procedure, is at the root of the votes of the electorate not counting in the emergence of those who rule. Nigeria’s democracy has thus become the democracy of the few and mighty politicians who have captured not only political power but also the wealth of society which they use in compromising institutions and their officers.”
Others, like legal practitioner Amaebi Clarkson, argue that Nigeria’s election problems are more deeply rooted in the country’s moral and value system. Clarkson suggested that leadership reform is critical, emphasizing that change must come from the top down. He also noted that adopting electronic voting systems might not solve the problem unless there is a change in political culture.
He said: “The Edo poll has clearly shown that no amount of electronic intervention in our electoral process will cure election malpractices and manipulation unless we have reorientation of our value system as a people. This can only be done if we get the leadership question right because any positive change in the behavioural pattern of a people comes from the top and not the bottom. The president asking the losers to go to court in the face of such brazen manipulation of election results speaks volumes. It is frustrating that despite the huge resources allocated to INEC and the reforms on paper, it cannot conduct an acceptable election. We may need to look inward and readopt Option A4 system if it can give us any reprieve.”
There have also been calls to reintroduce the Option A4 voting system, which was once considered effective in reducing manipulation.
Rev. Joseph John Hayab lamented the repeated failures of INEC, urging Nigerians to be more vigilant in defending their votes, saying, ”It is very sad to see that INEC has not repented or learned any tangible lesson from the past electoral malpractices that were committed. INEC has not only again shown that it is Nigeria’s democracy’s biggest enemy but has confirmed that the will of the people does not matter as long as some INEC officials get cheap money from desperate politicians. A political leader who knows his or her victory is not from the people will never listen to the people or serve the people. INEC has failed to keep the trust of the people and the nation who are bigger than the few money bag politicians. The serious consequence of this unpatriotic action by some politicians and some greedy and selfish INEC staff is that we will continue to suffer together from leaders who have no legitimacy and are disconnected from the people. It is now left for the Nigeria public to unite and begin to defend their votes in future elections up to the last collation center since it is so glaring that you cannot find justice during election from INEC to the courts”.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria Uwemedimo Nwoko painted an even bleaker picture, arguing that free and fair elections are unattainable under the current political leadership. He believes the integrity of the electoral process is compromised from the top and sees little hope for genuine reform in the near future.
His words, “I think for now Nigeria should just forget about free and fair elections or free and fair judiciary because it won’t work. If we want to be honest with ourselves, there’s no point hoping against hope, no need for us wasting our time. What is the moral pedigree of the present crop of leaders? What is their legal pedigree, what do they have to show in terms of decency in life? I will say it anywhere, Nigerians cannot have free and fair elections with the present crop of leaders and the judiciary will continue to be a victim. Our justices are individuals and we have people who know how to connive and threaten justices. This is not just about bribing them, people go to justices’ houses and threaten them to bend their will”
