• ’Things electoral body must do
By Fred Ezeh and Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Civil society organizations have charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be above board in its handling of the governorship polls, insisting that the body should perform better than it did during the February 25 presidential election.
They also listed certain actions that must be taken by INEC to ensure a more transparent, free and fair election.
Dr Sam Amadi, Director Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, in his intervention, stated: “The problem is whether INEC actually wants to do something differently. Many of us may think that INEC has administrative or technical difficulties that affected its performance but it might actually be that INEC has an integrity failure, which means that INEC officials basically did nothing to do the right thing. They prefer to do the wrong thing. So the lack of transmission of results was not because of technical issues but because INEC refused to do so to facilitate rigging.
“However, assuming INEC decides to run a free and fair, credible election, there are three basic things they can do. First; INEC has to convey to its polling officers its readiness to prosecute them if they connive with governors or other political authorities. The Electoral Act provides that anybody who does this can be prosecuted. Secondly, INEC should change all their RECs immediately, especially in places like Imo, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Lagos and Ebonyi and as much as possible monitor them. Thirdly, they should ensure polling officers upload their results straight and immediately to the server and finally, they have to ask the Inspector General (IG) of police to ensure that the police officers have no role to play except those assigned by the polling officers.
“In Nigeria, it is a problem dealing with the security agencies, particularly the police because if you watch the Nigerian movies, every criminal has the numbers of the Commissioner of the Police, the IG of police. What that tells you is that there is a strong affinity between criminals and the Nigerian police. So Nigerian security institutions are compromised because of their own criminality and very long-lasting, well established relationships with criminal elements, including criminal politicians. You saw that with the star police officer who is now facing prosecution. So the police and other security officers lack integrity but what can be done, is that their commanders should make it very clear by firstly investigating the roles they played in the last election and use that to prosecute some. When those people are indicted it will send strong signals to other police officers who will play critical roles in the elections not to connive with politicians to rig elections.
“The electorate should not trust politicians or INEC or any official. When they vote, they should go with their cameras and video the recording of the results with the faces of the polling officers. So that even if it’s rigged, there will be enough credible evidence in court to invalidate those results.”
Executive Director, Baobab for Women’s Human Rights, Bunmi Dipo-Salami told Saturday Sun: “INEC could have anticipated some of the challenges associated with the electronic transmission of the results. That said, the commission should provide clarity to citizens on the provisions of the Electoral Act so that there wouldn’t be any back and forth on the matter. I say this because listening to lawmakers who passed the Act saying that electronic transmission of results was not what they passed, I became confused.
“They should show more intentionality in curbing election-related violence across the country on March 11. They cannot be seen to be nonchalant or biased.
“The electorate should encourage their friends and family that did not participate in the presidential election to vote. In addition, voters should desist from demonizing citizens for choosing to campaign or vote for candidates other than their preferred candidates. Let’s live and let live.”
Also speaking, Faith Nwadishi, Executive Director, Center for Transparency Advocacy (CTA)
Noted: “INEC should walk through its talk by following through its guidelines on elections in order not to create the impression of being compromised or partial.
“INEC should as a matter of priority, set up an enquiry to investigate its staff especially some Resident Electoral Commissioners, the Electoral Officers at the LGAs, supervisory presiding officers and dubious adhoc staff. All those involved in electoral malpractice should be arrested, prosecuted and punished adequately. This will serve as a deterrent to others.
“INEC should have the political will to cleanse itself of these putrid impurities that has cast doubts to its integrity and neutrality. The use of B-VAS for upload of polling unit results should be used in the March 11, 2023 governorship and states Houses of Assembly Elections.
“INEC must hold itself to the highest level of neutrality and accountability and reassure Nigerians that Osun and Ekiti can be replicated in the forthcoming Governorship and House of Assembly elections.
“The security agencies must investigate and prosecute its officers and men found wanting in the breach of electoral laws.
“Nigerians should be vigilant. They should not be discouraged. Go out and vote for candidates of your choice. We believe that INEC will do the right thing. All stakeholders are urged to continue to conduct themselves in a peaceful and responsible manner. CTA shall be observing the governorship and house of assembly elections and calls on all stakeholders to ensure that the elections are peaceful.”
Founder, Centre for Ability, Rehabilitation and Empowerment in Nigeria (CARENigeria) Dr. Chike Okogwu, challenged INEC to quickly resolve the technical challenges that affected the credibility and wide acceptance of the presidential and national assembly elections conducted on 25th February, 2023.
He said: “The use of adaptive operators to handle a pure technical challenge bungled up logistics the last time. So, INEC should engage the services of paramilitary agencies like Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC), Correctional Services, Nigerian Customs Service, Civil Defense Corps and private logistics firms like God is Good Motors, GUO Transport, ABC Transport etc, to provide vehicles to handle delivery and collection of sensitive materials to requisite areas and polling units.
“This, expectedly, will reduce costs and improve efficiency because timing is a key component of logistics, and these guys are well trained in the business of logistics. This will also reduce the direct and indirect costs of engaging untrained private sector road transport operators. Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport should also be engaged to handle logistics.”
Dr. Okogwu, challenged the security officials to be neutral in their approach to the elections. “Security is another technical challenge impeded by adaptive approaches. So, the security agencies should be more profession to responding faster to clear and present dangers. The response times at the last presidential elections were below expectation.”
He appealed to the electorate to be more circumspect in their adaptive approach and also be very civil in not allowing any presiding officers to leave the polling unit without uploading the results to the INEC server and confirmation by the electorate who have smart phones to check the portals.
He expressed concern that the lives of INEC officials may be at risk due to anger in the land arising from the perceived manipulation of the presidential election result.