2019: INEC faces loss of confidence crisis

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is being plunged into confidence crisis since the isolated governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti states. Thus, the international community has been on red alert over the activities of INEC during the 2019 general elections. The US Government, the EU as well as the UK, last week warned INEC to ensure neutrality in supervising the 2019 general elections, and ensure transparent, free and fair polls.

Thereafter, INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, delivering the 6th Anniversary Lecture of Realnews Magazine in Abuja stated that the Commission is ready to deliver credible elections in Nigeria in 2019, evolve the concepts of inclusiveness, transparency and accountability, and ensures the rules are fully, fairly and impartially enforced.

“At the risk of stating the obvious, let me say that INEC is deeply committed to democratic elections in the belief that the outcome can contribute to political stability and consolidation of democracy, which will foster rapid economic progress,” Yakubu had said.  

He noted that INEC “continues to think innovatively and to consolidate several tools” towards addressing emerging challenges related to the delivery of credible elections in Nigeria, whose registered voters are more than the population of several African countries combined. Professor  Yakubu was not oblivion of the confidence-building crisis the Commission is facing but extended the basic problems to the over ambitions of political actors in the country.

The INEC chairman disclosing the Commission’s preparations for the 2019 general elections, acknowledged seven challenges that could impair the electoral process in Nigeria. These, he said, include the “do or die mentality of some members of the political class;” “vote-buying;” “lack of internal democracy within political parties;” and “incendiary speech” by political actors.

Others were identified to include “election security;” noting that this is “beyond the responsibilities and capabilities of INEC;” “impunity and lack of consequences for electoral offenders,” advocating that this could be addressed through the establishment of Electoral Offences Commission/Tribunal for easy disposal of election cases; and the high frequency of “litigation and conflicting Court Orders,” requiring the attention of the Commission.

Yakubu commended Realnews Publisher/Editor, Ms Maureen Chigbo, and her team, for their excellent professional job.

Dr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, UN Special Representative and Head, UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel, in his goodwill message, challenged Nigerian political actors and the media to be conscious that “elections in Africa’s most populated country and largest economy have implications for the entire continent and beyond.”

He cautioned: while “accurate and dispassionate reporting of electoral events will help to educate the electorate and contribute towards informed choice from among competing candidates, biased reporting and deliberate falsehoods (fake news), on the other hand, could “contribute to distorting the choices of the voters and election-related violence, while “hate speech leads ultimately to hateful acts.”