Former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) commissioner Mike Igini has warned that politicians are infiltrating companies chargeable for supplying election workers, elevating considerations in regards to the fee’s capacity to conduct credible elections in 2027.
Speaking throughout an interview with ARISE NEWS on Tuesday, Igini mentioned political interference within the recruitment course of might expose INEC to issues brought on by different establishments, whereas the failure to implement electoral legal guidelines remained his biggest concern forward of the following common election.
“What happened is that politicians infiltrate those agencies. They infiltrate those agencies and create liability for the INEC itself as an institution. The laws are no longer enforced. That is my greatest worry about this election.”
Igini spoke in regards to the recruitment of advert hoc workers, the usage of know-how. “The most important staff that Nigeria should focus on will be the presiding officers.”
He mentioned the presiding officers play a central function at polling models, the place votes are solid and recorded. “At the polling unit, the presiding officer, at the ward, war collection officer, Nigeria can go to section 25 to see.”
Igini mentioned INEC should pay shut consideration to the integrity of the individuals deployed to handle elections. “The state has failed to protect the vote of Nigerian people. How can you pay 26.7 billion? Yet those people cannot be held accountable?”
He additionally warned that Nigeria’s electoral challenges mirrored wider issues with management and the rule of legislation. “The crisis of Nigeria is a leadership recruitment process.”
He mentioned the nation couldn’t resolve its financial issues with out addressing its political system, If we can’t repair the politics, we can’t repair our financial system.”
Igini additionally expressed concern that the rule of legislation was giving strategy to the affect of people.
“And that today, where we are supposed to be under the rule of law, we are now under the rule of men.”
He mentioned openness was needed to construct public confidence within the electoral course of. He rejected secrecy as a response to requires transparency.
“The call for openness and transparency can never be answered by secrecy.”
Igini additionally challenged the argument that political events and candidates couldn’t publish their very own election outcomes. “The argument that candidate political party cannot publicise their result is wholly incorrect.”
He mentioned the polling unit remained central to the electoral course of and harassed the significance of defending the outcomes recorded there.
“And so, at the heart of this election is the polling unit. That’s the key.”
He additionally warned that weaknesses within the course of might permit individuals to announce outcomes with out correct authority. “So somebody can come and impersonate tomorrow and just announce electoral results. This story happened in 2023. We’ve not sorted it out till date.”
Igini mentioned know-how was vital to the conduct of elections and warned that organisations that didn’t adapt risked falling behind. “Any organisation that failed to embrace the benefit of technology will be overtaken by the chaos or decay and decline.”
He additionally raised considerations about makes an attempt to intimidate journalists and residents reporting on electoral issues, saying such actions violated their rights. “The attempt to intimidate media, houses, intimidate Niger citizens, that they cannot report, is a violation of section 39.”
Igini mentioned the polling unit remained the important thing level at which voters’ selections should be protected.
“The power of the people at the polling unit is awesome.”
He additionally warned that public officers should be held accountable for his or her actions. “What I said that we need to build more prisons because many of the characters you see today in public offices, they are simply candidates for prison.”
Igini mentioned Nigeria should shield elections as a way of making certain the peaceable switch of energy. “We have to be very careful, because the greatest promise of democracy is periodic election for peaceful transfer of power.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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