INEC AND THE OFF-CYCLE ELECTIONS

It’s another opportunity for the electoral body to improve on its performance

Off-cycle election, an entirely Nigerian phenomenon which came into being in 2006, is increasingly being ingrained in the system. The 1999 Constitution as amended sanctions it. Most of these elections arise primarily from court rulings which overturn election results. Some also occur when the incumbent office holder dies or resigns. The latter has become rampant with people elected to the legislature either at the federal or in the states accepting cabinet positions within the executive. Unfortunately, these elections are often marred by controversies, issues of low voter turnout, and integrity which affect effective governance and representation. 

Tomorrow, across the country, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct elections to fill several vacancies. Some will be by-elections, while others will be court-ordered rerun elections. For instance, by-elections will be conducted in two senatorial districts; (Ebonyi South, Ebonyi State and Yobe East, Yobe State); three state constituencies, (Chibok State Constituency, Borno State; Chikun State constituency, Kaduna State; and Guma State Constituency, Benue State); and four federal constituencies, (Akoko North East/Akoko North-West Federal Constituency, Ondo State; Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency, Taraba State; Surulere 1 Federal Constituency, Lagos State; and Yauri/Shanga/Ngaski Federal Constituency, Kebbi State.)

The court-ordered rerun elections will be held in one Senatorial district of Plateau Central, and 13 federal constituencies which include Surulere 1 (Lagos); Gauri/Shanta/Ingaski and Arewa/Dandi (Kebbi); Akoko North East/North West (Ondo); Jalingo/Yorro/Zing (Taraba); Ikono/Ini (Akwa Ibom); Akamkpa/Biase (Cross River State); and Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency of (Sokoto State), and others.

Tomorrow, Nigerians expect Mahmood Yakubu to not only improve on the INEC operational template, but also to fine-tune the processes with a view to eliminating the 2023 general election lapses. An effective planning even up to the minutest details in terms of logistics, security, adroitness of INEC personnel, etc., must be worked out with efficiency. Like the general elections, much more needs to be done to cleanse the taints in the off-season electoral system. These elections embody Nigeria’s ongoing quest for robust governance.

However, at a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security last week, Yakubu said without a secure and peaceful environment, the conduct of credible elections would be imperiled. “As you are all aware, the election is a multi-stakeholder responsibility. INEC has a role to play, and so too are other stakeholders,” Yakubu told his audience. “As security agencies, it is your responsibility to secure the environment to enable us to deploy personnel and materials, the protection of observers, the media as well as the polling and collation agents representing the political parties and candidates.” The INEC Chairman added: “From experience, conducting isolated elections, such as by-elections and re-runs, can be very challenging. We must pay attention to the potential for disruptive behaviour by some candidates and their supporters.”

Given the desperation that attends every election in Nigeria alluded to by Yakubu, pertinent questions remain. What is the cause of this extreme aggression in our politics? What’s behind the chaos in our elections? Why are politicians ever ready to game the electoral process? Why must every election in Nigeria be fought almost like a war? These and many other questions should engage the attention of stakeholders. We have stated in this space repeatedly that the struggles during elections in our polity are vicious and bloody because the stakes are very high. And to the extent that an electoral victory can transform hitherto struggling person to a life of luxury, the perks attached to politicians and public office holders must be pruned drastically to expect the much-desired change.