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The Nigerian Electoral System: The Need for an Overhaul

The much-anticipated 2011 general election in Nigeria has eventually kicked off with the predictable hiccups and also embarrassing logistics problems. It may be recalled that the Nigerian elections was billed to start on the 2nd of April 2011 but was eventually cancelled shortly after it commenced due to what Nigerian electoral officials attributed to as dearth of logistics or inadequate logistics supply.

This development led to shock and angst across the land particularly amongst the electorates who trooped out in their numbers. The elections were eventually rescheduled to start on the 9th of April 2011 and were expected to have commenced as at the time of writing this. Questions and posers will continue to be asked why the electoral system in Nigeria is fraught with so much irregularities and inconsistencies, despite the huge amount of material resources committed to these exercises.

It is on record that the history of elections in Nigeria predates political independence and has been an ongoing phenomenon since colonial times, the story of elections and its conduct in Nigeria with the possible exception of the 1993 elections has continued to leave a sour taste in the mouths of both local residents and international observers. The problem[s] of elections and its conduct often starts with sundry problems such as the compilation and collation of a credible voter’s register, to institutional and structural problems such as electoral laws that are ambiguous and intended to cause confusion, outright subversion of the will of the people by diverting votes cast, inaccurate delineation of political wards and polling units. These problems become very embarrassing when we discover that countries like India with over a billion people conducts elections successfully without these embarrassing hiccups associated with the Nigerian electoral system.

It is in the light of these, that the late Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yaradua set up an electoral reform committee headed by a former chief justice of Nigeria Muhammed Uwais particularly after the much derided 2007 elections which brought him to power. This committee came up with structural reforms which on paper could guarantee at least a 90% flawless electoral system. But quite unfortunately this report has not seen the light of the day as it seems a lot of entrenched interests in the country are not comfortable with it.

The present situation Nigeria is facing as regards the 2011 polls points to the fact that unless a structural reform of the electoral process in the mould of the Uwais Report is implemented, the conduct of elections will still continue to pose a nightmare to Nigeria, no matter the amount of material resources spent on such elections.

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2011 National Assembly Election Success in Nigeria: A Glimpse of Hope at Last?

Nigeria, touted as the world’s most populous black nation, for a long time, has been at the precipice of collapse economically and politically because of bad leadership. Right from the locust years of the military, the country had been plunged into the abyss of retrogression. This continued even with the advent of democracy in the country in 1999. The elections of 1999 were marred with malpractices and all sorts of untoward practices. As it was in 1999, so it was in 2003. As if the nation is doomed never to learn from its past mistakes, the 2007 election that brought in the late President Musa Yar’adua was arguably the worst election ever conducted in Nigeria! To further add insult to the injury, the electoral umpire, Professor Maurice Iwu was unapologetic for the enormous shame he brought upon the country with his ineptitude and insincerity. The scenario thus gave birth to hopelessness, helplessness and haplessness in the land. Virtually everyone became disinterested in the polity.

So when Professor Jega was announced as the new Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, the situation was largely the same. Despite his antecedents as an honest and trustworthy person, Nigerians were still not convinced that the much-awaited time of change was here. Many were actually quick to condemn the man when on Saturday, the 2nd April, 2011 the National Assembly election slated for the day became botched and was consequently postponed. One thing that none of Jega’s critics and cynics could take away from him was his integrity. This much they all acknowledged.

It was therefore not astonishing to see the way the elections went across the length and breadth of Nigeria on Saturday, the 9th April, 2011. The election, despite some pockets of hitches and violence in some parts of the country, was relatively free and fair. What further made the election remarkable was its outcome, which so far, has shown some major upsets. For instance, the Chairman Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Iyiola Omisore, the enfant terrible of Osun State politics, a state in the South-West of Nigeria, was roundly defeated by Omoworare, a less popular candidate, but with more credibility. Like in Osun State, the daughter of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello and the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole were also defeated in Ogun State. The implication of all of these is that Nigeria may be moving closer to getting it right this time. Show me a credible leader and you would have found a man who will rewrite the story of shame of the continent. Like I have always said that Africa is blessed, not cursed. Despite the crises in Ivory Coast, Libya and others, with the success of the National Assembly election in Nigeria on Saturday, the 9th April, 2011, it seems there is a glimpse of hope after all in Africa. Professor Jega is treading triumphantly even where angels are afraid to tread. Is it time for us to be jubilant? Are we edging closer to our promise land? Is Nigeria getting it right at last? Only time will tell!

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