The countdown to the 2019 general elections has begun in earnest and all eyes are on the Independent National Electoral Commission on the conduct of the polls that will determine the fate of Nigerians in the next four years. Already, the Commission has many hurdles to cross as it marches ahead to conduct a credible election in a couple of weeks.
Several Nigerians, including political parties, have expressed doubt on the credibility of the Commission to deliver a free and fair election in 2019. The doubts are traceable to contending issues such as vote buying, inconclusive results, Amina Zakari’s appointment, security, manual transmission of election results, and logistics, among others.
Manual transmission of results
INEC said it would not use electronic methods for the transfer of results for the polls. INEC boss, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and the Commission’s National Commissioner in charge of Operations, Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu, said INEC took the step because the Electoral Act amendment Bill, which made provision for it, was not assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said, “Since the Bill on Electoral Act, which had the electronic transmission of results was not assented to, the issue has come up repeatedly in the media. Clause 22 (x) of the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended) has been misconstrued to mean that it will be an electronic transmission of results.
“No, the extant laws are clear on how results would be transmitted. But we will seek the legal backing for electronic transfer of results in future elections. So, the transmission of results in 2019 will be in accordance with the Electoral Act, which will be manual.
“INEC has been piloting electronic transmission since 2014. The only reason we need a law is that the law has already made provision on how results would be transmitted and it is through a manual process. For you to change it, you need another law. So, we need a clear legal provision to invalidate it.”
But despite these clarifications, analysts believe that manual transmission of the election result is open to easy manipulation, which may alter the wish of millions of Nigerians for the next four years.
An analyst, Adeyemi Rasaq, in his argument, said most election malpractices occured in the process of transmission of the results. “Observations have shown, over the years, that most election malpractices that take place do not happen at the polling units. The challenge has been after the polls, between the polling unit and the collation centres, and at the collation centres. INEC should have chosen to securely transmit election results from all polling stations, straight to a central database, such that only viewing access is allowed at the Wards and the LGA,” he said.
Meanwhile, a senatorial aspirant of the Action Democratic Party, Erasmus Ikhide, said the commission should be given the benefit of doubt over the chosen method of transmission.
“Let us wait and see what they will do with the manual transmission. Nigerians are watching and international communities are as well observing. Don’t let us make so much noise now; I know that Nigerians have the decision on winners, not INEC,” he said.
Amina Zakari’s appointment
There is no doubt that INEC’s credibility is currently at stake, especially with the appointment of Amina Zakari as the collation officer of the 2019 Presidential election.
Zakari was recently announced as the head of collation centre of the elections with several Nigerians kicking over INEC’s decision.
They alleged that Zakari’s appointment was a clear indication of plans to rig the election, as she is allegedly a relative of President Muhammadu Buhari.
INEC and the Presidency have, however, insisted that Zakari is not in any way related to the President.
But despite these, series of condemnations have trailed the development, especially from the opposition.
The immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, mocked INEC, saying the commission should not only appoint Buhari’s niece but should also appoint one of Buhari’s children as Chairman.
Fayose said, “Instead of INEC appointing Amina Zakari, a blood relation (niece) of President Buhari, as the Chairperson of INEC Advisory Committee and Presidential election Collation Center Committee, why not just appoint one of the President’s children as INEC Chairman?”
A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, had said, “Amina Zakari, Buhari’s niece and a member of his staff, when he was Chairman of PTF, has been appointed Chairperson of the INEC Advisory Committee and Presidential Election Collation Center Committee. Do you still believe that there will be a free and fair election in Nigeria on Feb. 16th?”
Vote-buying
There is no doubt that Nigerians are concerned about one form of electoral corruption that is currently trending in the country – vote buying.
Findings have shown that vote buying has now become the order of the day . The development is currently generating concern for Nigerians, especially on how INEC will manage the situation to maintain a credible election in the next few weeks.
Following this, stakeholders have urged the Commission to develop a strategy against vote-buying.
According to them, such proactive measures have become expedient, following complaints about the dimension vote-buying in elections had assumed.
It was said that years of commitment by the commission to deliver free and fair elections might be wasted if vote-buying is now condoned.
Executive Director, Independent Service Delivery Monitoring Group, Dr Chidi Amadi, blamed politicians for the menace.
“We are worried about this trend of vote-buying. This amounts to accomplice actions of politicians and security agencies. These days, politicians are so brazen in buying of votes on election days and INEC must wake up to the reality in order to forestall a total collapse of the system,” Amadi said.
Chief Emeka Udeogu, in his contribution, said INEC must be bold enough to cancel results of elections where votes were found to have been bought.
Udeogu further said that the “continuous education and enlightenment of the voting public by the commission could also serve as an antidote.”
The National President, Civil Liberties Organisation, Comrade Kenny Bakare, said INEC should stand tall in the coming election to punish vote buyers and also reject elections with vote buying.
“INEC should stand tall to reject this evil act. This is an act that will ruin us if we don’t move against it on time. Away from sensitisations, there should be stiff punishment for offenders while election with such an evil act should be cancelled,” Kenny maintained.
Logistics
Although INEC has announced its partnership with the National Union of Road Transport Workers and National Association of Road Transport Owners to ensure that logistics is not an issue in the coming general election, Nigerians believe that the Commission needs to do more than just signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the transport unions.
A public analyst, Bamidele Johnson, said, “Partnership with commercial drivers should not just be done in the book alone. Adequate orientation and reorientation need to be done in order to win their hearts. We all know that these are ‘great guys’ who need special efforts to manage them. You cannot give this assignment then go and sleep. You have to monitor them, day and night, to ensure they deliver well. I believe things will be fine if INEC can listen to Nigerians and do the needful.”
Meanwhile, INEC chairman, Yakubu, has said the commission requires over 100,000 vehicles to deploy personnel and materials from state offices to 774 Local Government Areas, 8,809 electoral wards and 119,973 polling units, which, he described as a huge undertaking. He said the situation had led to the partnership with NURTW and NARTO.
Security
Another issue, which appears challenging to INEC in the coming election, is conduct of the polls in the North East.
Already, INEC has said that the conduct of the polls in security-challenged places in the North East will be determined by security reports from the military.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Publicity and Voter Education Committee, Mr Festus Okoye, said, “INEC will conduct elections in all parts of the country unless it becomes impracticable to conduct elections, may be, in some parts of the country or in some local governments. But this decision will be taken based on the security report, our own internal dynamics and appreciation with the issues. But as at today, we are determined to conduct elections in all parts of Nigeria.
“So, in some of these local governments, we are going to document and conduct elections at the local government headquarters rather than going into the remote areas where there is still the challenge of insurgency. We are collecting data and compiling a report relating to each local government where we have security challenges.
“But for us to make this determination, we are going to work with the Nigerian military, we are going to work with SEMA and other agencies who are working in these areas to make a determination on places where it is practically impossible to conduct elections. But any place where it is possible to conduct elections, we are going to conduct elections in those areas.”
Nigerians won’t be disappointed – INEC
Meanwhile, INEC has reiterated its commitment and readiness to deliver a credible election in the country.
Chief Press Secretary to the INEC chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, said the commission was waxing stronger in its preparation to deliver a free and fair election to Nigerians.
“Things are going on well with us and delivering credible elections in general elections is not negotiable. We are committed to this and we will ensure Nigerians are not disappointed in us,” he said.
