Joseph Odok|27 July 2016|7:42AM
Conducting free and fair elections in recent times have mostly been challenging with most elections declared inconclusive. The attitudes of most Nigerians have been always to blame INEC. This attitude of most Nigerians is borne out of ignorance because INEC is left with very little power to declare any election as inconclusive without following guidelines as stipulated by the electoral act. Though there is a possibility of compromise by INEC, the declaration of elections as inconclusive is mostly occasioned by the refusal of INEC to compromise with greedy politicians.
As one who had participated in most elections as a Collation Officer since 2010 till date, I feel obliged to clarify certain issues concerning the role of INEC and the level of blame ascribable to them for declaration of any election as inconclusive. Nigerians need to be freed from certain ignorance that has beclouded their unfounded bias against INEC.
Unfortunately, most elections in Nigeria cannot stand the test of time. This is because of the the desperation; mostly of politicians and the lack of federal apparatus to curtail this desperation of politicians. It is unfortunate that desperation often make politicians bend all rules to subvert legally prescribed procedures for a free and fair election and secure victory in fraudulent ways.
They do every thing to be declared winners of election at all cost. The attitude of the courts especially the attitude of giving legitimacy to obviously rigged elections has help to instil and invigorate the culture of rigging. Elections are rigged often through the following channels:
The Role of Security Personnel
One key tool in the rigging of election is the security agents. Most often politicians buy their way to the security agents to be used as agents of rigging election. These security agents are often instructed to intimidate the electorate in area of stronghold of the opposition party. In areas where were opposition is strong, security agents are used to cause chaos that often make the conduct of election impossible in the said area. When this happens the election is greatly affected leaving INEC with very little to do in such instances. Also politicians could also arrange with the security personals to deny the Inec staff of adequate security to give room for hoodlums to hijack materials thereby frustrating the election. In the above case scenario Inec can do almost nothing in its bid to secure the integrity of the elections.
The Role of Cultists and Hoodlums
Hoodlums and cultists are tools for rigging elections. Often, these people are funded and equipped by politicians and promised appointment to the point that they are empowered to take all forms of risk. These hoodlum are made to try all that is possible like snatching of ballot boxes, kidnapping of perceived elements that will frustrate their desperation to win by all cost, intimidating Inec to do their biddings, forcefully altering and thump printing and filling of Inec electoral sensitive materials and enforcing the announcement of wrong candidate etc. The insufficiency of security outfit and the use of more suffocated armory by these cultist and hoodlums compounds the problem
National Youth Service Corp Members and Collection Officers
Elections are often rigged at the pooling units and collation centres. Politicians often bribe these elements to allow for rigging and the change of result; to allow for irregularities. The poverty situation in the country and the loss of value makes these people quite gullible to desperate politicians and their offers. In some cases some incorruptible collation officer and NYSC resist these attempts by cancelling the elections were irregularities are very obvious. This could lead to the declaration of the election as inconclusive
The Electorate and some Party Agents
Where election is monetized, party agents sometimes collaborate with politicians in leading party to rig elections. Where a particular party agent is gullible, he can become compromising with electoral irregularities becoming the order of the day
INEC Staff
No doubt INEC staff are not free of all blame. Politicians bribe Inec staff and make sure they influence posting of Inec staff to reflect their interest of rigging. These staff become the negotiating tool between politicians, electorates, party agents and hoodlums.
Attitude of the Judiciary
Most politicians hold that elections should be won at all cost. This disposition to rig elections at all cost is emboldened by the attitude of the court. The burden of proof needed to nullify an election seems to give confidence to fraudulent politicians to rig elections. Politicians belief that they can always buy their way. The attitudes of the court in collaboration with politicians have often strengthened this belief and forestalled a rigging culture in the psyche of politicians
Situations that Necessitates the Declaration of Result as Inconclusive
A. Where the margin of win between the two leading candidates is not in excess of the total number of votes of the pulling unit(s) comprising the area in contest, the election is declared inconclusive
B. Where election was not held or cancelled, the election is held inconclusive until a rerun is conducted in the affected polling unit(s)
Please note
More often than not, the irregularities that is a result of the desperation of politicians often occasions where the margin of win between the two leading candidates is not in excess of the total number of registered voters of the pooling unit(s) and the elections is declared inconclusive or as a result of violence and other electoral violence, elections were cancelled or not held, Inec is left with little or no option than to declare the election as inconclusive
Joseph Odok
josephodok@yahoo.com
Social change agent