Obasanjo is right about INEC but sacking Yakubu isn't enough [OPINION]

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has reignited the call for the sack of Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the flaws in Nigeria's election process.

Speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University, United States last weekend where he presented a paper titled “Leadership failure and state capture in Nigeria," Obasanjo demanded the removal of Yakubu and other INEC officials at all levels as part of his proposed reformation of the electoral system to restore credibility and trust.

The former President, who described the 2023 general elections as a "travesty," advocated for shorter tenures for INEC officials and a more rigorous vetting process to screen out partisan individuals and ensure the emergence of people with impeccable reputations.

As is usually the case, Obasanjo's remarks have sparked a debate about Nigeria's electoral journey, which called for examining the progress achieved and the challenges that persist despite all the reformation attempts.

How did we get here?

Though I align with the former President's position on INEC’s flaws, it's important to note that sacking Yakubu without necessary institutional reforms will be an effort in futility.

Over the years, Nigerians have repeatedly called for the sack of whoever occupies the INEC leadership due to misgivings about their performances.

Yakubu's predecessor, Prof. Attahiru Jega, suffered a similar fate in 2011 after the national assembly elections stumbled into a false start, which forced cancellation due to the late deployment of electoral materials after voting had commenced in many parts of the country.

Jega also oversaw a controversial presidential election the same year, with violent protests, killings and maiming of NYSC officials breaking out in the North after Muhammadu Buhari failed to be declared the winner against incumbent Goodluck Jonathan.

His predecessor, Prof Maurice Iwu conducted what is widely regarded as the worst election in Nigeria's history in 2007, coincidentally under Obasanjo.

The election represented a dark chapter in Nigeria's democratic history, so bad that Rivers presidential election results were declared while voting was still in progress.

The election winner, late former President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, was so discomfited by the process through which he emerged that he vowed to review the election. The review gave birth to the famous Justice Uwais Committee Report.

Interestingly, the INEC leadership has implemented all the committee’s recommendations that require administrative action, including biometric registration of voters.

As the years rolled by, INEC continued to explore innovative means to inject credibility, efficiency, and trust into its elections. This effort also led to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), a departure from manual means of accrediting voters, a process susceptible to fraud and manipulation.

In 2022, the electoral umpire opened itself to scrutiny by publishing the voters’ register online, an unprecedented feat in our electoral history. This was a significant move, given what our voters' register looked like and how it was inundated with irregularities, which ranged from registration of minors, foreigners, aliens, dead people and multiple entries.

Nigeria's voter register used to be riddled with fictitious names to concoct victory for political parties, which is why some states "produced" two million votes in past elections but failed to repeat the feat in 2023.

To eliminate results manipulation, the commission also introduced IReV, an INEC Result Viewing Portal which allowed for real-time uploading of results from polling units and is accessible to members of the public.

These are cutting-edge technologies introduced by the current INEC chairman to stamp out past irregularities. While their deployment during the last election may have been questionable, they remain veritable tools that inch the nation closer to revolutionising our electoral system.

Granted, the INEC chairman's reputation has been severely battered following the outcome of the 2023 presidential election, which didn't reflect the wishes of the majority of the electorate.

Given that the eventual winner, President Bola Tinubu had more votes against him, considering that his main opponents, Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, had a combined number of votes way higher than his, testified to the fact that he lacked overwhelming popularity.

This scenario can easily colour popular opinions and cause us to lose sight of the positive changes, innovation, and progress made under Yakubu.

Where do we go from here?

To achieve the INEC of our dreams, the commission must undergo a holistic institutional reform as canvassed by some stakeholders.

As it's currently set up, INEC seems overburdened with responsibilities, inadvertently ceding too much power to the Chairman’s hands, who might be encumbered by the wishes of the political leaders.

Therefore, breaking the commission into units, such that the central INEC is only concerned with organising elections may be the way to go.

For instance, the commission is currently saddled with responsibilities, which include voter education and prosecution of electoral offenders. These tasks should be taken away and reassigned to appropriate agencies.

Thankfully, these issues are being considered in the ongoing process of amending the 2022 Electoral Act, with suggestions that voter education should be handled by the National Orientation Agency (NOA).

Ultimately, our electoral system needs to be fully digitalised to make it impossible for unscrupulous politicians to perpetuate their manipulation. For this reason, the ongoing amendment should mandate the uploading of result sheets on the IReV portal right at the polling units.

As I close, I'd like to add that the road to credible elections is a marathon, not a 100-metre dash. It requires a synergy between INEC, civil society, political actors, the media and citizens.

As we strive for a just electoral system, let's acknowledge the progress made while remaining committed to addressing the persisting challenges.