Attahiru Jega, the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has accused some of its officials of compromising the outcome of the last general election. The accusations were made during a two-day retreat organized for senators in Akwa Ibom. During his lecture, Mr Jega spoke on the topic “Electoral Reform and Democratic Consolidation in Nigeria: Review of 2022 Electoral Act (areas for further legislative actions).
Mr Jega stated that these officials were appointed into their positions based on political bargains, and were subsequently influenced to compromise the integrity of the elections. He suggested that in order to prevent such a situation from occurring again, there must be rigorous screening of the officials before they are appointed, in order to ensure they are capable of executing their duties without any bias or prejudice.
This is not the first time that the conduct of INEC officials has been called into question. During the 2015 elections, there were reports of vote rigging, as well as reports of the manipulation of electoral materials. These reports were investigated by the International Republican Institute, who concluded that the irregularities could have affected the outcome of the elections.
In addition to the accusations made by Mr Jega, there have also been reports of discrepancies in the voter register, as well as allegations of electoral malpractices. This has led to calls for an overhaul of the electoral process in order to ensure that the integrity of the elections is maintained.
The electoral system in Nigeria is often criticised for its lack of transparency and accountability. In order to ensure that the country’s elections are free and fair, there must be adequate oversight of the electoral process, as well as an independent body to investigate any allegations of electoral malpractices.
It is essential that steps are taken to ensure that the integrity of the electoral process is maintained. This will ensure that the people of Nigeria have confidence in the electoral system and can trust that their votes will be countedMr Jega’s accusations are a cause for concern, and it is important that the INEC takes necessary steps to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future. It is also important that the Nigerian people are able to trust in the electoral process, and that their voices are heard.
