APC, PDP are incapable of directing Nigerian government after 21 Years – Jega

Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, on Saturday desalted that the ruling  All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have become incapable of directing the governance of  Nigeria after 21 years.

Jega delivering a lecture organised by Kwara Visioners Network for Rural Development in Kwara State, decried that the two leading parties are leading Nigeria astray and becoming incapable of directing the country in the right way.

Jega had declared: “The current two dominant parties – APC and the PDP – with their quality recruitment and leadership selection processes who have shared power and have tended to lead Nigeria astray in the past 21 years are becoming incapable of directing Nigerian political and governance processes in the right direction.

“The dominant elites in these parties are self-centered, preventing the few good ones among them to be impactful. They are also fractious and quarrelsome and lacking even enlightened self-interest.”

The former INEC chairman advocated that there is a need to create a special vehicle that can go into alliance and work together to free the country from the stranglehold of parochial and reckless politicians.

Jega emphasized that he is currently playing interventionist role in the polity to contribute to positive change in politics and aspiring for the 2023 presidential election.

He admitted being a registered member of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), but said he has not indicated interest in the presidential race.

He chided the National Assembly for rejecting electronic transmission of election results.

Jega was of the view that constitutional prohibition of technology in elections is a hindrance to electronic voting. He urged the national Assembly members to review the legal hindrance to electronic voting in the 2023 elections.

Jega, therefore, declared: “In fact, INEC has used it in some elections in parts of the country. It is a pilot scheme which all the stakeholders have been observing and said is good.

“The next thing is to remove the major hindrance in the use of technology because there is a constitutional provision which says that electronic voting is prohibited.

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“Many Nigerians who are in support of electronic voting are blaming INEC for saying it cannot use electronic voting. They have forgotten that there is a legal provision that says electronic voting is prohibited.”

He also challenged the INEC to ensure transparent elections in 2023, adding that Nigerians are looking unto the INEC management  as unbiased election umpire.