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Tag: Independent National Electoral Commission

  • Ekiti governorship poll: The intrigues

    Ekiti governorship poll: The intrigues

    The stage is set for the June 20 governorship poll in Ekiti State. While 12 political parties have fielded candidates, the race is shaping up around the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), People’s  Democratic Party (PDP) and the Action Democratic Congress (ADC). Correspondent RASAQ IBRAHIM examines the candidates, the platforms and the issues that will shape the exercise.

    Following the conclusion of primaries by the political parties and the submission of candidates’ name to the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC) the stage is firmly set for the June 20, 2026 governorship poll in Ekiti State.

    INEC has since formally activated the election process with the release of a timetable for the election, a move that has intensified political activities across the state. With the election date fixed, the race for the Oke-Ayoba Government House has shifted from the behind-the-scenes manoeuvring to open political engagement by parties and candidates.

    In line with the timetable, political parties conducted their governorship primaries between October 20 and November 10, 2025, producing candidates across party lines. However, the exercise has exposed internal divisions within several parties, some of which are yet to be resolved.

    The ruling All Progressives  Congress produced Governor Biodun Oyebanji as its standard bearer through consensus primary mode.The process, however, has continued to generate internal disputes, with aggrieved members accusing the party national leadership of undermining internal democracy and imposing a predetermined outcome.

    The APC’s internal crisis predated the shadow poll. The disqualification of two aspirants, Engineer Kayode Ojo and Mrs Oluwajumoke Olawumi by APC national leadership sparked outrage and widened existing cracks within the party. Olawumi has since challenged Oyebanji’s emergence in court, leaving the party grappling with post-primary litigation.

    On December 29, 2025, INEC released the provisional list of governorship candidates submitted by political parties. While the list confirmed candidates from several parties, it also generated controversy following the exclusion of the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate, Dr Wole Oluyede, over pending court cases linked to the party’s national leadership.

    The omission of the PDP from the list sent shockwaves across Ekiti’s political landscape. For a party with deep roots in the state’s age-long political history, the development has raised fresh concerns about the opposition party’s cohesion and preparedness for the governorship contest.

    Despite assurances by INEC that parties with outstanding issues could rectify them before the release of the final list, the PDP failed to meet the required conditions. The commission’s final list, released in January 2026, confirmed that the PDP would not be on the ballot. The party has since approached the court, describing its exclusion as unjust and insisting that legal redress remains its last hope of returning to the race.

    INEC’s final list shows a crowded race with 12 political parties, excluding the PDP participating in the poll. The ruling APC is fielding Governor Biodun Oyebanji with Monisade Afuye as running mate.Other candidates include Opeyemi Falegan of the Accord Party, who is running with Omoyeni Bayode; Mr. Akande Oluwasegun of African Action Congress, paired with  Oluwasanmi Fajuyigbe; and Ayodeji Ojo of the Action Democratic Party, with Itunu Ibitoye as his running mate.

    The African Democratic Congress is presenting Ambassador Dare Bejide and Babatola Ayodeji, Bidemi Awogbemi, and Akinyemi Adewumi of the Action People Party (APP) ; and Joseph Anifowose with Margaret Ilesanmi of the Allied People’s Movement.

    The Labour Party is presenting Oyebanji Olajuyin and Ayokunle Okumade while New Nigeria People’s Party has Blessing Abegunde as its candidate, with Francis Ajayi as running mate.  The People’s Redemption Party is fielding Olaniyi Ayodele and Modupe Adebiyi while the Young Progressive Party is presenting Osinkolu Segun and Arowolo Olusesan, the Zenith Labour Party’s candidates are Victor Adetunji and Adesina Oyeniyi.

    Meanwhile, the political atmosphere in the Fountain of Knowledge has grown increasingly charged. Across the state, political activities have intensified with parties mobilising supporters, fine-tuning strategies and positioning themselves ahead of the governorship election.

    Parties’ offices have become beehives of activities. Even the fringe political parties whose offices were barely noticeable in the past have intensified activities in a bid to remain relevant. The Party leaders are also engaging in weighing alliances, recalculation,  managing post-primary intra-party crisis and exploring possible defections.

    Across towns and communities in Ekiti, discussions about the governorship poll now dominate the public spaces, social gatherings as well as the social media platforms.From market squares to motor parks and newspaper stands, the June 20 poll has become the central topic of conversation, reflecting growing public interest in the political future of the state.

    Ekiti people appear increasingly eager to exercise their civic rights,  with many already weighing  options before them. For some electorates, the governorship election is an opportunity to sustain the current direction of governance, while for others, it offered a chance to push for change of leadership.

    Beyond party affiliation, the governorship race is increasingly being shaped by the personality of parties candidates, their antecedents, competence and political history. The voters are weighing familiar faces against newer entrants in the state political firmament, examining past records in public offices, competence, character and credibility.

    Manifestos and ideas are also beginning to take centre stage. From promises of infrastructural development and wealth and job creation to education, healthcare and governance style, the election is fast becoming a contest of competing ideas and visions for a greater and prosperous Ekiti.

    At the centre of the governorship poll is the incumbent governor. Having secured the APC ticket, Oyebanji enters the race with the full weight of incumbency, party structure, financial warchest and access to state-wide political machinery.

    Oyebanji’s emergence as the APC governorship candidate followed a consensus shadow poll. The ruling APC hierarchy maintained that the consensus option was adopted to preserve internal harmony and consolidate support ahead of the 2026 governorship election.

    Despite the party’s public display of unity and cohesion, the process left pockets of dissatisfaction within the APC. Some aggrieved members have continued to express resentment over the manner the primary was conducted, arguing that the consensus arrangements  suppressed internal competition. These grievances have continue to linger within the party.

    Oyebanji’s campaign has been built largely around continuity and stability. His supporters frequently highlight achievements recorded during his first term, including improvements in road infrastructure, increased investment in education and healthcare, agricultural revolution and the  maintenance of a relatively peaceful political climate in the state. The administration’s emphasis on inclusive governance has also been cited as a reason for seeking a second term.

    The governor has also benefited from endorsements by key stakeholders in the state including traditional rulers, union leaders, market women, APC leaders and opposition leaders. These endorsements have strengthened his position within the party and reinforced his image as the frontrunner in the race . To many within the APC, Oyebanji remains the candidate to beat in the June 20 election.

    However, analysts opined that the post-primary tensions within the APC present a subtle challenge. While the disputes may not threaten Oyebanji’s candidacy directly,unresolved grievances, and court actions could affect the party’s ability to mobilise effectively and efficiently at the grassroots level. How the APC manages these internal crisis in the months ahead may ultimately influence its electoral fortunes.

    For the PDP, the electioneering season has been marked by crisis since its lost power to APC in 2018. Although Oluyede emerged from a keenly contested primary and was initially seen as a rallying point for a possible resurgence, the party’s exclusion from the ballot has dealt a severe blow to its ambitions.

    The crisis has been compounded by the open support of ex- governor Ayo Fayose for Oyebanji and the defection of several PDP members to the ruling APC. While remaining a PDP member, Fayose has  repeatedly stated publicly that Oyebanji would complete two terms in office, a declaration that has weakened the party.

    Despite insisting that it has a credible alternative agenda, the PDP’s immediate focus has shifted from campaigning to litigation, as it seeks a court order to overturn its exclusion. Political analysts say the legal battle has cast uncertainty over the party’s role in the 2026 poll.

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    Filling the opposition vacuum is the African Democratic Congress, which has emerged as the main challenger to the APC. Its candidate, Bejide, a former Secretary to the Ekiti State Government and ex-Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, has broadened political choices for voters.

    The Ilawe-Ekiti born politician is not a political neophyte. Bejide brings with him years of public service experience at both state and international levels. His résumé has helped the ADC overcome one of the usual limitations of lack of a recognised flag bearer with a proven administrative background often faced by the smaller parties.

    Bejide’s emergence has resonated with voters who feel alienated by the familiar APC–PDP rivalry. For this segment of the electorate, Bejide represents a departure from the recycled political battles and entrenched party interests. The ADC has tapped into this sentiment, projecting itself as a platform for those seeking a fresh political direction.

    Beyond public sentiment, the ADC has harvested members from both the PDP and the APC, swelling its  ranks with aggrieved politicians. These defections have strengthened the party’s presence across the state.

    Capitalising on this  momentum,  the party has framed its campaign around the idea of a credible third force, arguing that socioeconomic development in Ekiti has been stifled by alternation of power between PDP and APC.

    Despite the party’s strengths, the ADC faces structural challenges. Unlike the APC and PDP, the party lack entrenched grassroots network across all the local governments. Mobilisation and funding remain areas of concern, and analysts noted that converting public goodwill into real votes will require organisation and strategic alliances.

    However, keen political watchers of Ekiti politics cautioned against  dismissing Bejide’s chances. In a political climate marked by internal party crises with the major parties and voters’ frustration, they argured that ADC buoyed by defections, grassroots reach and wider acceptability may not just be a fringe contender, but a factor capable of reshaping dynamics of the governorship race.

  • REC urges politicians to mobilise supporters to register

    REC urges politicians to mobilise supporters to register

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged politicians in Lagos State to educate and mobilise their supporters to participate in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR), noting that failure to register will result in political self-disempowerment.

    Speaking yesterday during a news briefing on the second phase of the CVR at the commission’s office in Yaba, Lagos, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Professor Ayobami Salami, urged political stakeholders to go beyond campaigning and ensure their constituents are eligible to vote.

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    He said: ‘’Individuals who do not register during this period will be unable to vote in the 2027 general election and will lose the opportunity to influence governance.’’

    The REC also met with representatives of political parties, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, security agencies and youth groups to seek support in mobilising citizens for the exercise.

  • What FCT elections reveal about Nigeria’s democracy

    What FCT elections reveal about Nigeria’s democracy

    Sir: When the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the final list of candidates for the 2026 Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, it did more than kick-start another local poll. It quietly exposed a deeper and more uncomfortable truth about Nigeria’s democracy: while young people and women are encouraged to participate, they are rarely allowed to lead.

    Across the six area councils — Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali; hundreds of candidates are contesting for chairmanships, vice-chairmanships and councillors seats. On the surface, this looks like a vibrant democratic exercise. But a closer look at the data tells a different story.

    In three of the councils; Bwari, Gwagwalada and Kwali; not a single woman is running for chairman. Across the FCT, women make up a small fraction of candidates for the two most powerful positions in local government: chairman and vice-chairman. Where women do appear, they are overwhelmingly listed as deputies, not principals.

    Young people face a similar pattern. They make up a large share of councillorship candidates across the FCT, often more than half in some councils. Yet at the executive level, they almost disappear. In Gwagwalada, for instance, less than one in 10 candidates for chairman or vice-chairman is a young person.

    This is not because young people or women are unwilling to contest. They are running. They are organising. They are mobilising voters. What they are not getting is access to the tickets that matter.

    Local governments are not ceremonial institutions. They are responsible for primary healthcare, basic education, sanitation, markets, transport and community infrastructure. These are the services that affect people’s daily lives. When women and young people are excluded from the leadership of these councils, the decisions taken rarely reflect the realities of the majority.

    The usual explanation for this imbalance is that Nigeria is still grappling with cultural barriers and limited political awareness. But the 2026 FCT data points to a more concrete problem: political parties.

    There is nothing in Nigeria’s laws that prevent women from running for chairman or young people from leading councils. The barriers are inside the parties’ high nomination fees, opaque primaries, entrenched godfather networks and leadership structures that reward loyalty over competence. Parties routinely field women and young people where they are unlikely to win, while reserving the most competitive and powerful positions for established insiders.

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    The result is a two-tier system. At the bottom are youth and women, visible in ward-level contests and campaign rallies. At the top are a small group of older politicians who continue to control access to power.

    This is not just a question of fairness. It is a question of governance. Councils that do not reflect the communities they serve are less likely to design policies that work. Excluding women and young people from leadership weakens accountability and limits innovation in a country that desperately needs both.

    The FCT is Nigeria’s capital. If inclusion cannot be achieved here, it is unlikely to happen elsewhere. That makes these elections a test case for the country’s democratic future.

    Political parties, electoral authorities, civil society and lawmakers must stop treating inclusion as a slogan. It must become a rule. Quotas for women and young people on executive tickets, caps on nomination fees, and transparent primaries are not radical ideas. They are the minimum standards for a modern democracy.

    The 2026 FCT elections have shown that participation is not the problem. Young people and women are already in the arena. The problem is that Nigeria’s political system still decides, long before election day, who is allowed to win.

    Until that changes, the promise of democracy will remain unfulfilled; not just in Abuja, but across the country.

    • Olasupo Abideen Opeyemi,<abideenolasupo@gmail.com>

  • INEC chair: Who ‘ll he be?

    INEC chair: Who ‘ll he be?

    It is the moment of truth. A new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may be announced anytime from now, following the handover of Prof Mahmood Yakubu to the most senior National Commissioner, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, on Tuesday. Yakubu’s tenure formally ends next month after serving a two-term of 10 years.

    There have been speculations in the social and traditional media for long on who the next chairman will be. Nigerians are interested in who gets the job because it comes with enormous responsibility. It  is the most delicate of jobs – thankless, nerve-wracking and time consuming. The occupier of the office, no matter how capable he is or how good his intentions are, cannot satisfy everybody.

    In most cases, it is those who hail him at some point, shouting “hossana” – we have found the umpire in whom we are well pleased – that will boo and call him names later, crying “crucify him, crucify him”. This is the price of being the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the nation. So, the Electoral Officer General of the Federation (EOGF) must have a thick skin. He must be ready to absorb all kinds of insults; be prepared to be called names and be told the history of his ancestry.

    It is a burden to be the INEC Chair. Yet, it is a job that must be done; a duty to be performed to country and in satisfaction of one’s conscience, with utmost good faith, because of what is at stake. There can be nothing more greater than the affairs of a nation which are in the hands of the INEC Chair during the periodic four-year elections. How he manages the elections goes a long way in keeping the country together. A well managed election guarantees peace and stability, even if some of the contestants are aggrieved with the outcome.

    Their grievances will be assuaged by the fact that the exercise was free, fair, open and transparent. A lot depends on the INEC Chair if we are to have a free and fair election in a society like ours where persons holding that office are viewed from the outset as having come to do their master’s bidding. The master in this case is the President, who is the appointing authority. Even if the President appoints an angel as INEC Chair, the appointee would still be viewed suspiciously. “Nothing good can come out of him”, the opposition and their supporters  would sneer.

    But given the same opportunity, they would do something worse. This is, however, not to say that the INEC Chair should lack honour. In fact, his honour should not be in doubt and his word should be his bond. He must be seen to stake that honour before the over 200 million Nigerians from among who he was chosen to head INEC and assure them that the commission would do good by him. He does not have to be a saint to do the job. All he has to do is to allow his commitment, capacity, competence and capability to speak for him.

    Politicians will not believe him, no matter what he does. But the people, the millions that would stand in the rain and under the sun, to vote during the elections will stand by him – if he is really diligent. Politicians can make all tbe noise in the world, but they know that they cannot push their luck too far with the people. The man (or woman) that will lead INEC is out there somewhere, waiting to be called upon to take up this onerous task. The responsibility of choosing the person rests with President Bola Tinubu.

      Has he found the man? Will he unveil him before the Council of State (CoS) which meets in Abuja today? The President does not have to listen to the noise of the market in making his choice. He should go for the man that best suits the job. A man of honour, character, intelligence, and integrity. A man that can stand his ground when push becomes shove. A man that cannot be intimidated by those whose stock-in-trade is to besmear and tar every INEC Chair with the same brush just because they had no say in the appointment. 

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    The President’s duty is to the people. He is not beholden to the opposition who, if they had their way, would prefer someone that they can dictate to as the INEC Chair. The President should be guided by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) in his choice of the INEC Chair. He should not listen to those seeking to come in through the back alley to influence the process. Some of them had the opportunity in the past in one capacity or the other, and did not come up with all these their ‘beautiful ideas’ on how to appoint the INEC Chair.

    Their suggestions are however noted, as they are good on paper. Come to think of it, is it not too late in the day to be calling for a change in the rule of appointing the INEC Chair when Yakubu’s time is up? The man is formally leaving office on November 9, a few days from now. So, what time is there to implement these ‘grand ideas’ on how to appoint his successor? Many of these suggestions border on mischief and they are a way of preparing the grounds for condemning and challenging the outcome of the 2027 elections, which are still about 16 months away.

    According to the Constitution under which the President derives the power to appoint the INEC Chair and members, he “shall” do so in consultation with the Council of State. This august body meets in Abuja today. The nation waits with bated breath for the outcome of the meeting, and most likely the name of the new INEC Chair. Your road is going to be rough sir, and this is not a curse.

  • Police exonerates INEC worker in card reader theft

    The police have exonerated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its worker, Ejike Nwankwo, of allegations of possessing Card Readers.

    Nwankwo was detained for four days for alleged possession of four Smart Card Readers in the 2019 elections.

    A statement by INEC’s Public Affairs Officer Don Etukudo said the police report vindicated Nwankwo and exonerated the commission.

    The statement reads: “Some months ago, an INEC worker in Akwa Ibom State, Ejike Nwankwo, was arrested by the police because he was allegedly found with four Smart Card Readers.

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    “The police detained him for about four days before they contacted the commission to enquire whether he was in lawful possession of the card readers. Before they contacted the commission, Nwankwo’s picture was taken with the card readers on display and sent to the All Progressives Congress (APC). As usual, the APC latched onto the incident and went to town with a story that Nwankwo was leading a team of technicians employed by the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini “to help him valid (sic) doctored 2019 elections in Akwa Ibom State.

    “To lend the story some credibility, they claimed the SCRs were “recalibrated” and that Nwankwo, who was actually arrested about 3pm, was arrested by 2am on a Sunday! This story was given the widest possible publicity in the social and mainstream media.

    “The commission promptly issued a statement to the effect that Nwankwo, an ICT worker with INEC, was in lawful possession of the SCRs. The four SCRs had no data in them and were used in the training of ad hoc workers during the elections…”

    In any case, the commission explained that it was unreasonable to suggest that four SCRs, of the over 3,000 used during the elections, could have been manipulated in any way to affect the process or outcome of the elections or the matters at the tribunals.”

  • 2019 polls most covered event in Nigeria, says Yakubu

    This year’s general election was the media’s most extensively covered event in the country, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has said.

    He said over 1,799 journalists from 150 media houses were accredited for the polls.

    Fifty-two foreign media houses were also on the ground to cover the elections.

    Prof. Yakubu stated this on Thursday the opening of the parley with media executives in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

    The media parley is part of the commission’s review of the polls.

    Read Aia remained valuable partners at ensuring credible polls.

    He said: “As one of our valuable partners, we have always worked closely with the media. It is for this reason that in addtion to our vibrant INEC Press Corps, the headquarters of the commission alone accredited 1,799 journalists from more than 150 domestic media organisations to cover the 2019 general election.

    “Foreign media presence was also impressive. We had 332 journalists from 52 foreign media organisations – from different parts of Africa, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Australia and Asia – to cover the elections. It was, indeed, an engaging experience. The general election was the most extensively covered event in Nigeria in 2019.

    “Now that the election is over, it is time to re-examine the entire process with a view to consolidating the successes and establishing a template that would address the challenges.

    “The purpose of this meeting, therefore, is to discuss all the salient aspects of the process which require improvement. You were accredited to cover all aspects of the processes. The commission wants to hear from you how processes can be improved upon, from pre-election activities, such as the registration of voters, conduct of primaries and nomination of candidates by political parties, campaigns (including election debates by candidates) to Election Day activities, such as accreditation of voters, voting process (including more effective measures to stem vote buying), collation and declaration of results.”

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    Yakubu noted that the parley with the media was not a media briefing but an experience-sharing one.

    “It follows logically, therefore, that this meeting is not a press conference or another media briefing by the commission. Rather, the commission would like you to share your field experiences, observations and recommendations on all aspects of the election – from logistics, election technology, security, media accreditation, coverage of the elections, adequacy and effectiveness of public enlightenment drive by the commission, access to information by the media, access to political parties and candidates as well as issues of misinformation, dis-information, fake news, hate speech and more.

    “We look forward to your robust contributions and recommendations. The whole purpose of today’s meeting is how we can improve on processes and procedures for which you were not only reporters but observers and actively involved in several ways. Today, we will talk less and listen more to you,” he said.

    Also, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, noted that the media are pivotal to the electoral process and are the major purveyors of electoral information from the commission to the Nigerian people.

    He said: “The commission initiated this review for the purposes of self-evaluation,   examination and stocktaking of what worked   and what did not work during the general election.

    “We intend to harvest the positives arising from the election, review the negatives for purposes of learning the vital lessons and making improvements on the electoral process. This is because the way we look at our yesterday has an important bearing on the way we look at our today and the way we see possibilities for tomorrow.

    “Our consultation with the media on different issues and aspects of the electoral process will continue even after the present structured review meetings with critical stakeholders.”

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) President Chris Isiguzo said the media had ensured that the country’s democracy flourished.

    The NUJ president said the media had not disappointed the country, which underscored their effectiveness in democratic dispensation.

    He added that for the country to have a credible election, all critical stakeholders must be involved.

  • INEC to review MoU with NYSC 

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Friday revealed that it is planning to review its Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) on the rules regarding the engagement of corps members as electoral ad hoc staff.

    The Director General, The Electoral Institute, Dr. Sa’ad Umar Idris, made this known in Abuja at the Policy Dialogue on “Dynamics of Delegation: Reforms in the Recruitment of Ad-hoc Election Personnel.”

    He said that “we (INEC) are going to review the MoU with the NYSC to ensure that the members on election duties are loyal and can be held accountable and punished for their actions.”

    According to him, the NYSC staff put the reputation of the commission at stake whenever they are on election duty, stressing that obedience to INEC core values, code and conduct is very important.

    He said that the commission has its core value that anybody working for it being him an ad-hoc or permanent worker has to comply with.

    He said that the need to train the ad-hoc staff and expose them to the core value of the commission has become expedient for “them to do things the way INEC does its own things.”

    Read Also:  Ill-treatment of corps members on electoral duty

    Continuing, he said that “when they (youth corps members) are on the field, they are INEC. Are they loyal to the commission? We need to interrogate that.”

    The commission, according to him, is also mulling administrative measures of dealing with malfeasance, especially a mechanism for punishment such as denial of discharge certificate and a repeat of the service year.

    He insisted on the need for reforms of the electoral policies for the improvement of the conduct of elections.

    The Lead Speaker, Prof. Shola Omotola, had observed that the allowances for the ad-hoc staff were grossly inadequate.

    The don mentioned the challenges of insecurity, late mobilization and training of staff as part of the characteristics of the 2019 general elections.

  • Rejection of PDP server inspection justice over propaganda, says presidency

    The Presidency on Monday night declared that the rejection of the request by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to have the Independent National Electoral Commission’s server for the 2019 Presidential election inspected is justice over propaganda.

    The election tribunal had earlier on Monday denied the opposition party, PDP, the right to inspect the server.

    A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, reads: “In a landmark ruling by the Presidential Election Tribunal, a desperate attempt by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to overreach judicial process was overwhelmingly rejected by a unanimous decision and the long standing principle of law has once again been re-enacted.

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    “An attempt to cause the determination of an issue that constitutes the fulcrum of contention between the parties, at an interlocutory stage, has again been rejected by the tribunal.

    “What this means is that Justice and fair hearing through due contest by the parties of a major issue for determination remains sacrosanct and remains considerable by the tribunal upon according parties just and fair hearing and not the other way round.

    “The election petitions tribunal unanimously rejected the PDP’s request to inspect a server which existence is being disputed.

    “The existence of a purported server is being contested and if a purported inspection had been allowed at this stage, it would have amounted to the determination that it indeed existed even when its existence is being contested.

    “The electoral law prescribes manual transmission of results only and this was what the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did, in obedience to the law as witnessed by real electoral observers.

    ‘YIAGA Africa deployed 3906 real individuals to run a parallel tabulation which returned the same results the INEC announced.” he added

    Last week, he said, the final reports of the International Republican Institute and National Democratic Institute (IRI/NDI) electoral observer mission made clear that the results of the election reflected the votes cast.

    According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari won with a majority of four million votes and because only real votes matter, INEC announced him as the winner of the 2019 presidential  election.

  • Why INEC didn’t transmit election results electorincally, by Soyebi

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why the results of the 2019 general elections were not transmitted electronically to its server.

    According to the electoral umpire, the late release of funds to the commission for the polls and controversies over the Electoral Act, among other reasons forced the body to jettison the idea of using the technology to transmit results to the central server.

    INEC National Commissioner Solomon Soyebi gave the explanation during a Post-election Retreat organised by the Commission for members of its staff and ad hoc workers engaged for the last general elections in Osun State.

    He said the commission only experimented the technology during some staggered elections held last year.

    According to Soyebi, the clarification was necessary because of the rising controversies on the transmission of the 2019 presidential election results from states to the INEC server.

    He further explained that many factors forced the commission to drop the idea of electronic transmission of the results to central server.

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    Soyebi said that the body INEC experimented the use of electronic transmission of results with Anambra, Sokoto and Osun elections, held before the February and March elections but it did not sustain the use of the technology during general elections.

    He said: “We piloted the use of transmission of election results electronically in Sokoto, in Anambra, even in Osun. What happened was that we were trying to pilot to see the desirability of such technology in our electoral process.

    “First, our budget came out very late, there was also issue of Electoral Act. For these and some other reasons, the Commission did not adopt that option. 2019 elections were conducted according to Law.

    “We used the Constitution of the Federal Republic, we used Electoral Act and our guidelines for 2019 elections. If you look at the three instruments carefully, the issue of server was not highlighted.

    “Once in a while, you will see an experiment going on but we have to pilot it before we will deploy wholesale for election. We did not use it because of the circumstances beyond the control of the Commission.”

    Speaking earlier, Resident Electoral Commissioner for Osun, Segun Agbaje, said that the elections were largely successful despite daunting challenges that characterised its conduct.

    However, he lamented the “do or die” attitude of some politicians, which according to him, involved different illicit practices, including the use of thugs to win elections at all cost, adding that the Commission, in collaboration with security agents in the state drastically reduced the phenomenon during the general elections.

  • Dialogue or jamboree?

    What is made of the planned election dialogue will determine how far we can go in sanitising the system

    If there is one area in which Nigeria is not lacking, it is in the conduct of conferences, workshops, summits and dialogues, sometimes at the national level. When it is not education summit, it is economic or health or security summit. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that another national dialogue will soon be convened. It is tempting to dismiss it as unnecessary and wasteful, as every administration since 1979 had found a reason to organise one in one guise or the other. But, given the monumental fraud that attended the 2019 general elections, it is perhaps unavoidable that stakeholders meet once again to review the law, operations, possible need to unbundle an overburdened INEC, management of security at polling time and conduct of politicians and political parties during elections.

    It is obvious that indiscipline on the part of the politicians is at the root of electoral manipulations n Nigeria. It is shameful that, six decades after independence, there have been no elections devoid of acrimony leading to judicial intervention. Organisation of the political parties has remained very contentious. At election of party leaders at all levels, a clean copy of the register of members or delegates is hardly produced, leading to all manner of manipulations as cleavages make all attempts to seize the party structure in preparation for the general elections where their protégés would be used to seize party tickets, irrespective of the formidability of the opposition. It is thus fight to the finish as the combatants employ the services of thugs and do all they could to suborn the judicial process. This cycle has been repeated so many times that it is surprising that no solution has yet been found.

    The conduct of the elections has been less than honourable, defying all the apparent efforts at exterminating the bogey. At a point, it was thought that leaving operation at the polling units in the hands of civil servants and teachers would be best as they were expected, as career men and women, to protect their integrity. This did not work as their employers, the state governments, found a way of influencing them, threatening them with career advancement. Then, it was deemed right to bring in members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) who, as sojourners in the land, were expected to be insulated from partisanship. This worked to some extent except for the threats to their lives that succeeded in compromising some.

    The manipulation game then shifted to the collation centres where figures emanating from the polling units are usually disregarded and fresh ones in favour of the highest bidders are prepared. At this point, security men are dragged into the process, made to protect criminals and ward off fair play. This is the worst form of corruption as it amounts to stealing the people’s mandate and substituting personal will for the general will.

    It is therefore not out of place to hold another confab to examine all these issues. As INEC has indicated, all other previous conference reports, including the partially implemented Uwais Panel report will be reviewed, with a view to ensuring that future elections meet international standards. However, some of the factors are beyond the purview of the electoral commission. The environment contributes to what happens on Election Day. A country where poverty and hunger are raging everywhere turns the masses to beggars who are willing to sell their votes to whoever has the cash, even when such money came from the public treasury. In such a case, the outcome cannot be free and fair. As long as public office in the country is so rewarding, both officially and unofficially, the do-or-die attitude might be difficult to contain. The desperation would always engender violence. It will consequently put so much pressure on the security personnel deployed to enforce law and order.

    We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to be determined to write his name in gold by ensuring extensive electoral reforms. The government has to partner with INEC to effect a change in the electoral process and system, even if political hawks are opposed to it. An intensive reorientation campaign has become unavoidable in the circumstances. The public and the civil society groups have to be involved in getting the government, electoral commission and other stakeholders to drive the process, otherwise the dialogue will end up like the previous ones, a mere talk shop and jamboree.

    This year must be a turning point. Elections are too important in the democratic system to be treated as shabbily as we do and still expect development. All the existing challenges in the country – insecurity, economic downturn, especially unemployment, decay of the education system and dilapidated infrastructure across board – can only be overcome when we sanitise the political and electoral setting. When the votes count, the electorate would be enthroned as kings, empowered to ask the right questions during electioneering, elect the best candidates and participate fully in the political process. The forthcoming dialogue, if well handled, could be the first step towards having the Nigeria of our dream.