The significance of conducting credible elections in a democracy cannot be overstated. It is the cornerstone of sustainable peace, stability, and development, as it allows citizens to freely choose their leaders rather than being subjected to the whims of special interests. Ignoring the problem of election rigging and mandate theft could potentially result in widespread disillusionment with the democratic process and a complete erosion of trust in democratic institutions. This inevitably could lead to civil unrest and further exacerbates the already precarious situation of a country on the brink.
The recently concluded 2023 election was highly anticipated by Nigerians, as it marked the first time the country would be conducting an election under the new Electoral Act signed into law on February 25, 2022, by President Muhammadu Buhari. This Act repeals the Electoral Act No. 6, 2010, and was seen as a laudable effort to keep the Nigerian electoral process at par with what obtains in other nations of the world.
The new Act sought to address some of the daunting challenges of previous elections where over-voting and brazen deployment of cooked data by criminally minded persons was the stock-in-trade. To accomplish this, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acquired a biometric-based system that uses the fingerprints of voters to authenticate voters identity called the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
Despite these laudable provisions and with repeated promises, there were still many reported instances of uploaded fake results into INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV) as well as widespread cases of voter intimidation, vote buying and vandalisation of ballot boxes, in flagrant abuse of the process.
INEC led us to believe that during the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly election held on that same day, the system encountered no issues uploading the result of the latter but suddenly developed problems when it came to the Presidential. What a travesty! Such a lame excuse leaves no one in doubt that political jobbers, acting in cahoots with compromised members of the electoral body, pulled out all the stops to undermine the new system, just like they did with the old one.
Also, according to one of the provisions of the new Act, where the number of votes cast at an election in any polling unit exceeds the number of accredited voters in that polling unit, the Presiding Officer, by law, is required to cancel the result of the election in that polling unit. Over-voting is defined as a situation where votes cast at a polling unit exceed the number of accredited voters and not the number of registered voters as was the case in the former Act. But INEC, a supposedly impartial umpire that repeatedly promised Nigerians a credible 2023 election, unashamedly flouted this rule throughout the election.
For example, during the gubernatorial election in Enugu State, Nkanu East Local Government, where the total number of BVAS accredited voters was only 7,436, reported a whopping 30,000 votes, a clear case of massive over-voting. But instead of following the prescription of the law to cancel the result from that area, INEC using some inexplicable formula, decided to award 16,000 votes to the PDP candidate, putting him on a clear lead. He was later declared the Governor-elect in one of the most bizarre accounts of the 2023 election.
In Nigeria, the issue of stolen mandates and electoral malpractice is not a new phenomenon. In the 2019 gubernatorial election in Imo State, PDP’s Emeka Ihedioha was elected having polled the highest number of votes. His election was, however, challenged by Hope Uzodinma of the APC who came a distant fourth. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court and in a very controversial ruling, the court held that results from 388 polling units were wrongly excluded from votes ascribed to Uzodimma. It went on to declare him the winner of the election, in what many believed was a miscarriage of justice and a theft of the people’s mandate.
Similarly, in Abia State, a gubernatorial election that was marred by violence and allegations of electoral malpractice saw the incumbent governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, declared as the winner. The opposition party challenged the results in court. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, which upheld Ikpeazu’s victory, but not without raising concerns about the credibility of the electoral process and the legitimacy of his mandate.
Unfortunately, the yawning leadership vacuum in Nigeria, more especially in the South-East today, could be directly or indirectly linked to illegal mandates. Many South-East governors did not derive their mandate from the people. Rather, they came through the back door, usually with the help of the so-called “federal might.”
Invariably, the beneficiary of an illegal mandate will do all in their power to stay in the good books of their benefactors whose help are often needed to sustain the illegitimacy when challenged in court. Aside from the cost implication to the affected states of maintaining such retainership, which is colossal, those affected unwittingly come under the sphere of influence of external forces with their own agenda.
The insidious impact of a stolen mandate goes far beyond just the defeated candidate or disenfranchised electorate. When a candidate wins an election through illegitimate means, he becomes beholden to the shady power brokers who aided his crime. The dangerous power dynamic of an illegal mandate is such that the beneficiary is exposed to the risk of being blackmailed or manipulated by these backers on a whim.
The devastating consequences of this, is a vicious cycle of poor governance manifesting as worsening poverty, unemployment, and deteriorating public services, all while the corrupt elite continue to enrich themselves at the expense of the masses.
To break this cycle, all stakeholders must play their part in ensuring the credibility of the electoral process. It is only through transparent, free, and fair elections that Nigeria can achieve good governance and fulfill the aspirations of its people.
To begin with, it is imperative that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) be led by an individual of unimpeachable character, standing firmly on a high moral ground. As the guardian of democracy, INEC must be impartial in carrying out its solemn responsibilities and ensure that rules and regulations are upheld without compromise, consistently and comprehensively.
Two, political parties have a responsibility to uphold the democratic process by maintaining high standards of integrity and ethics. It is, therefore, crucial that all political parties refrain from engaging in any form of violence, fraud, or intimidation. Any party found to be undermining the integrity of the electoral process and subverting the will of the people should face severe sanctions as stipulated by law. Those who perpetrate electoral fraud must be held accountable and treated as enemies of the state, with tough sentences handed down to deter future occurrences.
The electorate plays a critical role in upholding the credibility of the electoral process. It is essential that they resist the temptation to sell their votes, stay vigilant, and promptly report any instances of electoral malpractice to the appropriate authorities. By doing so, they demonstrate their commitment to democracy and contribute to creating a fair and just society where every vote counts.
Three, civil society organizations as critical stakeholders must be fully vested and actively involved in monitoring elections by adopting a more proactive approach to the electoral process. They should closely scrutinize every aspect of the process and identify any irregularities or potential issues that may arise. Such efforts could help to ensure that the electoral process is conducted fairly, transparently, and with the highest level of credibility.
The significance of conducting credible elections cannot be overstated. It is the cornerstone of sustainable peace, stability, and development, as it allows citizens to freely choose their leaders rather than being subjected to the whims of special interests. Ignoring the problem of election rigging and mandate theft could potentially result in widespread disillusionment with the democratic process and a complete erosion of trust in democratic institutions. This would inevitably lead to civil unrest, further exacerbating the already precarious situation of a country on the brink.
Nigeria deserves a fair and transparent electoral process that accurately represents the voice of its people. Hindering peaceful transitions of power is an open invitation to violence. Free and fair elections are the bedrock of democracy and provide a pathway towards a more stable and prosperous future.
We condemn in the strongest terms any attempt to derail the electoral process and urge our nation’s leadership to ensure that the will of the people prevails above all else and at all times.
