Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has made a case for a comprehensive overhaul of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Obasanjo, who spoke at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum, Yale University in the United States, called for sacking of Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other officials at all levels.
Obasanjo said it is imperative for reforming the electoral system to restore credibility and trust, describing the 2023 general election as a “travesty”.
“As a matter of urgency, we must ensure the INEC Chairperson and their staff are thoroughly vetted. The vetting exercise should produce dispassionate, non-partisan actors with impeccable reputations.
“Nigeria must ensure the appointment of new credible INEC leadership at the federal, state, local government, and municipal – city, town, and village – levels, with short tenures to prevent undesirable political influence and corruption, and to re-establish trust in the electoral system by its citizens.
“The INEC Chairperson must not only be absolutely above board but must also be transparently independent and incorruptible,” he said.
The former president stated that the commission’s failure to utilize the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV), during the 2023 presidential election, despite promises to the contrary made by Yakubu.
“The BVAS and IReV are two technological innovations that, prior to 2023, were celebrated for their potential to enhance the accuracy and transparency of our election results, eliminate the threat of election rigging, and boost public trust in electoral outcomes.
“These technologies were touted by the INEC chairman himself. In the end, these technologies did not fail. INEC wilfully failed to use or implement them, which resulted in widespread voting irregularities. It was a case of inviting the fox into the henhouse,” Obasanjo said.
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