By Ishaya Ibrahim
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, got a standing ovation after delivering the 6th anniversary lecture of Realnews, an online magazine, where he listed the measures his commission has put in place to tame election riggers.
Yakubu spoke on the theme: ‘Political Transitions and Africa’s Economic Development’ where he posited that: “If votes do not count, then of course, the consequential benefits derivable to the electorate would not be possible because elected office holders would not be accountable.”
The INEC boss said as a way to deliver credible election in 2019, the commission has improved on its performance in 2015. One of which was that in the event that its card reader fails to recognise the thumbprint of a prospective voter, they would no more be accredited with incidence form as has been the practice. Rather, a provision in the manual register has been created to allow the prospective voter to thumbprint on it as a means of accreditation. By this action, vote tracking can be easily carried out in the event of litigation.
Yakubu added that INEC had also introduced customized result sheet for individual polling units, thereby eliminating the practice of confusing which result sheet was authentic and which is not. He said with the new initiative, citizens can almost know the outcome of an election before the result is officially announced by tallying the results of the 119,973 polling units across the country in the event of presidential election.
The INEC chairman also said the commission has procured trackers for all vehicles that would deliver election materials on election day. He said any vehicle that deviates from its route can easily be detected and recovered.
The INEC boss said the commission is aware of the responsibility placed on it, which if properly handled, can make the country better, and if badly handled, could create chaos.
“We have seen nations and cities destroyed by unacceptable electoral outcomes. We have equally seen once happy, contented and thriving people becoming homeless and hopeless in internally displaced persons camps and forced migration to other countries on account of failed elections. Under such circumstances, no meaningful development can occur. Democratic transition through periodic and credible elections is the best way to ensure certainty that will guarantee and sustain political stability,” he said.
He said when elections fail to be free, fair and credible, as largely being experienced in many African countries, such governments are not accountable.
Yakubu noted that Nigeria passed through a similar teething period in its political history until 2011, when the recommendations of the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Committee were adopted for implementation. According to him, since then, the INEC has been striving to ensure that Nigerians could make periodic choices where votes determine the basis for holding elective offices and therefore, representation in government.
The event was chaired by Dr Haroun Adamu, former chairman of Petroleum Trust Fund. Other speakers at the event were; Professor of Economics, Charles Okeke, who is the Dean, School of Education, Behavioural and Social Science and Professor of Economics, The College of Southern Neveda, U.S., Professor Adebayo Olukoshi, director, Africa and West Asia regional programme to the Africa Union, Engr Simbi Wabote, executive secretary, Content Development and Monitoring Board, Bayelsa State.
Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi, also graced the occasion, including former Newswatch directors; Ray Ekpu, Yakubu Mohammed, Dan Agbese and Soji Akinrinade.
