INEC Under Pressure To Review Kano, Kaduna, Ogun Polls

There is demand on Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to evaluate the recent general elections in 2023, where there is evidence of irregularities.

Certain Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in the nation have urged the commission to check for evidence of electoral irregularities and to examine claims of voter intimidation and vote buying in light of the legislation.

The CSOs are the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center, Transition Monitoring Group, and Transparency International (CISLAC).

According to a report issued by its leader, Awwal Musa Rafsanjani, INEC should review elections where fraud has been proven.

In the Transition Monitoring Group’s report, Rafsanjani stated, “INEC must examine any evidence of electoral malpractices put before it” (TMG).

The CSOs claimed that the just completed gubernatorial election was conducted insecurely, with voter suppression and vote buying.

Voter suppression and vote buying were the rule of the day, according to TMG, which said it sent 768 roaming observers across 768 local government units in the nation to monitor the governorship and state assembly elections on March 18.

TMG recognized INEC’s advances in terms of logistical delivery and BVAS functionality, but said that security on election day could not be deemed to have improved given that the 2023 elections ended up being one of the most violent in recent Nigerian history.

According to TMG’s report, which was signed by its chairman Rafsanjani, “There were accusations of voter suppression and intimidation with threats of consequences as issued by well-known allies of several highly regarded figures in the country in the lead-up to the elections.

The security personnel’s inability to capture and prosecute the source of such threats just gave them more motivation to cause mayhem among the populace on voting day.

“Voter apathy was a problem in several states across the nation during the governor elections as a result of the presidential election’s outcome, which caused voters to lose faith in the electoral umpire. Given the nation’s expanding voter education efforts, this becomes a significant negative to the political process.

The CSOs claimed that because the police did not stop voter intimidation in the run-up to the elections, political violence and election tumult pervaded Nigeria’s governorship elections.

No matter who they are affiliated with, the police have the ability to put an end to these people, he said. To act as a deterrent in future elections, the police must act to apprehend such people and bring them to court.

While investigations are ongoing to apprehend individuals not yet in the police net, those electoral violators who have been detained must have their cases publicly punished. Additionally, those responsible for the thugs’ mayhem against Nigerians who were merely exercising their constitutionally granted rights must be found and brought to justice in full view of the public.

INEC must review all evidence of electoral malpractices placed before it. To reduce the commercialization of vote buying and to apprehend enablers, middlemen, and receivers during the upcoming elections, EFCC and ICPC should keep up their good work.

TMG commends INEC on lessons learnt from the presidential poll which has been brought to improve the state elections. Nigeria’s electoral system has the potential to produce credible elections, as evidenced by the effective logistical deployment and functionality of technological advancements, but the extent to which the commission is permitted to independently manage the elections prevents credible elections in the nation. INEC must strive to eliminate human interference especially with result management.

Meanwhile, provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 offer a window of seven days for reversal of declaration of results where a case of misconduct is found.

“Declaration of scores of candidates and the return of a candidate: Provided that the Commission shall have the power within seven days to review the declaration and return where the Commission determines that the said declaration and return was not made voluntarily or was made in violation of the provisions of the law, regulations and guidelines, and manual for the election,” reads section 65(c).

Section 65 (2) provides that, “A judgment of the returning officer under paragraph (1) may be appealed by an election tribunal or court of competent jurisdiction in an election.