From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Political experts have cautioned that a flawed voting system may increase voter apathy and disinterest in political affairs ahead of the March 11 governorship and state assembly elections.
They also advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain impartiality and abide by the electoral laws noting that many irate electorates have been accused it of incompetence and malpractice in Saturday’s presidential and national assembly elections.
The experts and researchers from public policy think-tank, Nextier, asserted that the recent protests against the results are more about INEC’s alleged partisanship and incompetence than actual acts of violence, pointing out that social media is flooded with numerous reports of the results from polling places, local government areas, and states, as well as dozens of people lamenting the electoral umpire’s alleged negligence and raising the prospect of a demonstration.
In a report titled, “February 25, 2023: Where did Nigeria miss it?”, written by Kenneth Maduagwu, a Senior Policy Research Analyst at Nextier; and Dr. Ndu Nwokolo, an Honorary Fellow at the School of Government and Society, University of Birmingham, UK, thr Nextier group advised the INEC to maintain neutrality in the performance of its statutory duties.
According to the report: “The Commission should strictly adhere to and consistently demonstrate its commitment to all electoral laws and provisions, especially regarding using the BVAS, declaration of votes and results. Current tensions revolve around the use of the BVAS and INEC’s position on the allegations of rigging, electoral violence and deliberate disenfranchisement. These are issues that can culminate into fragmented violence nationwide
“Current agitations against announced results revolve more around INEC’s perceived incompetence and partisanship than recorded violence. Social media are inundated with several accounts of results from polling units, local government areas and states and dozens of people bemoaning INEC’s negligence and hinting at a possibility of a protest.
“This potential rabbit hole feeds into the deepening perspective among millions of social media users that INEC’s credibility and non-partisanship are to be questioned. Furthermore, these scenarios are heralded by hate speeches, misinformation and disinformation, which Nextier’s report had stated as one of the potential causes of post-election violence.
“A less violent and long-term impact of post-election violence is the distrust it brews. State-society partnerships are often built on the basis of public trust in government and the absence of a crisis of confidence. If Nigerians perceive the electoral system as flawed, it may fuel voter apathy and disinterest in political affairs.
“Furthermore, if there is a predominant perspective that a candidate has emerged from a rigged system, the candidate’s legitimacy in the eyes of a significant proportion of the public may always be lacking.
“There is no gainsaying a government perceived to be legitimate enjoys public support in collective security, the performance of civic duties, payment of taxes, and loyalty to the state and government. Some actions are necessary for peace concerning the Saturday presidential polls and the possibilities of post-election violence and issues.”
The report added that “many dissatisfied political contenders often seek redress in the judiciary. Therefore, the judicial system plays a role in interpreting the law and demonstrating neutrality and objectivity while at it.
“The judiciary’s role in Nigeria’s democracy is crucial in discouraging people from seeking resolution through unorthodox means, especially resorting to violence and public disturbance. Some recent rulings by the supreme courts have not gone down, with many Nigerians now seeing more judgment than justice in the rulings of the Apex court.
“The deployment of security organisations for election security is not enough if it does not lead to a violence-free election and post-election. There is a need to protect INEC officials and other election stakeholders who are threatened by violence in different states. It is also essential to monitor the tensions closely to prevent attacks on people who may be targeted for identifying with a particular tribe, religion or political party.
“Nigeria’s security agencies must commit to safeguarding lives and properties at risk of election-related violence. Security agencies with the responsibility of providing security on election days should do their mappings on possible and known hotspots and work towards protecting the likely victims of such attacks.
“Inciteful comments by political candidates and blocs can trigger pockets of violence, which will threaten law and order across the board. Results announcements may be an emotive period for many aspirants and their supporters.
“There is a need to sue for peace and calm. However, this condition can be significantly driven by the election stakeholders such as INEC, security agencies and the judiciary efficiently playing their statutory roles in the entire electoral process.”