It has become glaring that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has compromised and dashed the trust of Nigerians and it is necessary that I call on all and sundry to stand firm on the point of Justice. It is on record that the INEC Chairman in November 2022 promised Nigerians and the global community transparent, free and fair elections.
In a press briefing, he urged Nigerians to disregard and debunk news making rounds that the commission had underground plans not to upload results at the real-time voting on election day, as the commission will collate results manually. Prof. Mahmood stated that this is false news.
He promised that results will be uploaded from the polling centers in real-time and went on to say that the BVAS technology has come to stay in our electoral system and that citizens will have the right to view the result for transparency’s sake.
Prof. Mahmood has failed to keep his promise to Nigerians and as an organization, we call on him to retrace his steps. It is also on record, on July 19, 2022, that INEC chairman promised to deliver the best-ever general elections in 2023 as reported by Premium Times Nigeria and other media outlets. Mahmoud Yakubu gave the assurance when he received delegations of the International Republican Institute (IRI) and of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Abuja.
He said the meeting was the first that INEC was hosting after Saturday’s governorship election in Osun and assured that it would improve on its successes in subsequent elections. It is also on record that The Chairman of, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reassured that the Commission will not let Nigerians and the international community down in the conduct of the February 25th and March 11th elections.
Yakubu, who gave the assurance when he received Commonwealth Election Observer Mission to Nigeria led by former South African President, Thabo Mbeki, said INEC will deliver free, fair and credible elections on 25th February 2023. The INEC Chairman told the Election Observer Mission that the Commission is informed on the importance of free and fair elections to the development and well-being of the country.
One can go on and on to state facts which the electoral umpire assured all that the elections will be free and fair with credible proceedings but it is far from what is said. My questions: what went wrong? Is Mahmoud under any kind of pressure? why the sudden change of mind amidst all irregularities recorded so far?
The irregularities to mention but few; are electoral violence, postponements of elections, inadequate protection of voter secrecy and the delivery of the wrong voting materials to some stations. The proposed budget for the 2023 elections shows that nine items account for 76.68 percent of the total budget. Procurement of accreditation devices will take the bulk 34.51 percent of the entire budget, while provision for run-off elections is 8.89 percent of the budget. Honoraria for ad hoc staff, logistics, and printing of ballot papers cover 7.79 percent, 7.54 percent, and 6.78 percent, respectively and we are left with these present realities after spending more much to have free, fair and credible elections.
As a patriotic citizen, I am calling on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His excellency, Muhammadu Buhari who promised to leave behind a legacy of Free, Fair and credible elections and all stakeholders to rise to the occasion of salvaging our democracy and the present state of the nation. What INEC is doing presently will birth provocation among Nigerians as the process is a total fraud and such must be avoided at this crucial time of our national unity, as the global community is watching.
International communities like the EU, the US, and the Ecowas among others have spoken about their dissatisfaction with the process which is far from being free, fair and credible and cannot be accepted as a democratic standard.
With a strong voice, I am calling on Professor Mamoud to do the right thing by uploading the results of the elections on the server for all to access and to protect the institute’s image. Long live Nigeria! Da Sam Odeh
Da Sam Odeh is a youth leader and an activist and is addressing the press as a concerned and patriotic Nigerian from Jos Plateau State.