INEC Must Prove Election Credibility And Expand Voting Rights

The Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, has expressed strong support for ongoing amendments to Nigeria’s Electoral Act, saying the proposed reforms could transform the country’s electoral process and ensure greater transparency, fairness, and inclusion.

Speaking In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, Itodo explained that several critical proposals under review including the shifting of election dates, the burden of proof on INEC in election petitions, and the use of electoral technology are aimed at strengthening public trust in Nigeria’s elections.

“If the burden shifts to INEC, INEC will now be compelled to say, okay, if you claim that you’ve organised credible elections, then come and prove it and establish that, yes, you have fulfilled all the conditions for the credibility of the election.”

According to him, the proposal to move general elections to November or December is intended to allow time for all legal disputes to be resolved before a winner assumes office. “Nigerians have been clamouring for an amendment to the constitution so that all election disputes can be resolved before swearing in of a new winner. You have to alter the timeline so that whoever assumes office does so without distractions of litigation.”

On the use of technology, Itodo commended lawmakers for recognising the importance of both manual and electronic transmission of results. “Technology does have its vulnerabilities,” he explained. “So you still need manual and electronic transmission to go hand in hand.”

Turning to the independence of INEC, Itodo emphasised that the commission’s challenges are primarily political, not technical. “INEC’s biggest problem is political in nature, and it’s about the political interference with the Electoral Commission,” he said.

He noted that while some proposals seek to remove the president’s power to appoint the INEC chairman, he doubted that such changes would pass under the current political structure.

“There are proposals that the power should be removed from the president, which we’d strongly agree with, under the new INEC campaign. I doubt, to be honest, that that particular provision is going to pass.”

Itodo warned that true independence must also extend to procurement, result management, and staff recruitment. “Will politicians allow INEC to select the vendors that deploy materials and services? Will INEC be shielded from pressure from incumbents to influence outcomes? These are the real tests of independence,” he said.

Itodo also highlighted inclusion as a cornerstone of the proposed reforms, calling for early voting for journalists, security personnel, and electoral officials who are usually unable to cast their ballots on election day. “Early voting is one particular way of deepening the inclusiveness of the electoral process.”

Addressing the controversial proposal to grant inmates the right to vote, Itodo said the idea aligns with democratic values and international best practices. “There is no law in today’s Nigeria that prevents inmates from voting.”

“INEC will deploy, you know, its officials to register inmates in the prisons, those who, you know, are not registered, because some of them before being sentenced to prison, some of them perhaps might be registered voters.”

“In countries like Zambia, in South Africa, in Kenya, in fact, even in Ghana, these things happen. And it’s just a simple process. So long as we’re in a democracy, the right of every voter is sacrosanct, and it needs to be protected.”

He urged the government to recognise voting as a fundamental right. “The burden is on the state to make provisions to safeguard their rights.”