Follow Us on Google
• Urges INEC to transmit same smooth conduct to 2027 polls
Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) has warned politicians against using electoral litigation to overturn the genuine mandate of Osun voters, urging the judiciary to ensure that court processes do not become a route for subverting the will of the electorate.
The group, while commending the relatively seamless conduct of the August 15 Osun State governorship election, said the real test of the democratic process would be whether the mandate freely expressed by voters is protected after the polls.
In a statement signed by its Chairman and Executive Director of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, TMG urged the judiciary to adjudicate electoral disputes in a manner that strengthens rather than undermines the sanctity of the ballot.
It cautioned against the use of technicalities, procedural manipulation or politically motivated litigation to overturn the genuine choice of voters.
“While recognising the constitutional responsibility of the courts to adjudicate electoral disputes, the group urged the judiciary to ensure that electoral litigation strengthens, rather than undermines, the sanctity of the ballot and does not become an avenue for overturning the genuine will of the electorate through technicalities, procedural manipulation or politically motivated litigation,” TMG said.
TMG also called on candidates and political parties that participated in the election to demonstrate political maturity by accepting the outcome, while encouraging those with legitimate grievances to pursue them through established legal and electoral mechanisms.
The group said the ability of political actors to respect voters’ choices would be as important as the conduct of the election itself in determining the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
TMG commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for what it described as the relatively smooth conduct of the election, particularly the absence of major technical glitches in most locations and the real-time uploading of polling-unit results on the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
It said the Osun experience demonstrated that INEC, under the leadership of Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, could deliver a more transparent electoral process when its systems and procedures function as intended.
“INEC deserves commendation where it gets things right. The Osun experience demonstrates that the Commission is capable of conducting a transparent electoral process, particularly through the effective deployment of technology and real-time results transmission,” the group said.
However, TMG maintained that the electoral commission should not automatically be blamed for every malpractice recorded during elections, pointing to vote buying, intimidation, thuggery and voter suppression as practices largely driven by political actors and their supporters.
The group urged relevant authorities to hold politicians and their agents accountable for electoral offences rather than shifting the entire responsibility to INEC.
Other News
TMG also praised Osun voters for their resilience and peaceful participation despite reported cases of vote buying, intimidation, harassment and other attempts to suppress their choices.
It said the conduct of voters demonstrated that citizens could resist efforts by political actors to manipulate elections through money and coercion.
According to TMG, the Osun election, like recent governorship elections in Anambra, Ondo, Edo and Ekiti states, provides evidence that peaceful elections are possible when electoral processes are credible and the will of voters is respected.
The group said the relative absence of significant post-election violence in those states should encourage political actors to embrace democratic competition and pursue grievances through lawful channels.
Looking towards 2027, TMG urged Nigerians to take greater responsibility for the quality of leadership they elect by obtaining and protecting their Permanent Voter Cards, turning out to vote and rejecting inducements designed to compromise their choices.
It cautioned voters against allowing religion, ethnicity, region, party loyalty or political slogans to determine their choices, urging them instead to scrutinise candidates’ character, competence, records, programmes and policy priorities.
“Democracy is ultimately strengthened by informed and courageous voters. Nigerians must not sell their votes and must not allow religion, ethnicity, region or party loyalty to replace the responsibility of evaluating candidates on their character, competence, track record and credible plans for the country,” TMG said.
The organisation also urged INEC to consolidate the gains recorded in Osun by strengthening its technology, logistics, voter accreditation, results transmission and public communication ahead of the 2027 elections.
It called on security agencies, law enforcement bodies and anti-corruption institutions to intensify the prosecution of vote buying, intimidation, thuggery and other electoral offences.
TMG stressed that credible elections require the combined efforts of an effective electoral commission, responsible political actors, professional security agencies and informed voters.
“The Osun experience should strengthen Nigerians’ confidence that credible elections are possible. We must give credit where it is due, demand improvement where necessary and, most importantly, protect the power of the ballot by ensuring that every vote counts and every mandate freely given by the people is respected,” the group said.
