BLAME POLITICIANS NOT INEC ON ELECTORAL INFRACTIONS 

 KASSIM AFEGBUA contends that INEC is doing its best in the present circumstances 

Following the completion of the Ghanaian Presidential Election, which returned an opposition candidate Mahama as president, Nigerian commentators were quick to score the Ghanaian electoral body high, with superlative remarks. To them, the outcome reflected the wishes and aspirations of the people of Ghana who came out on election day to exercise their franchise. I remember that when opposition candidate Muhammadu Buhari won election in Nigeria in 2015, similar accolades were poured on Mahmud Jega, the then Chairman of the INEC- simply because it was a victory for the opposition. In fact, to crown it then, former president Jonathan made the honorable call conceding defeat, and engendered all frayed nerves to calm down. That singular action has placed him on a pedestal that is peculiar to him alone – a man not desperate for power. He has since become a chief observer in several elections across the world. 

The Ghanaian election has come and gone, and the calls by analysts for the INEC to be crucified seems to be coming to a head. From my experience in politics from 1997 till date, any time the opposition wins any election, that election is usually considered free and fair; but when the ruling party does, hell is often let loose on the INEC. At those times, one hears all manner of abuses and insults, hurled at the electoral body. Would wish that this negative mindset against the INEC stopped now. This body is making great effort to make our democracy work, it must be appreciated and its shortcomings extenuated; rather than be serially vilified. The complexities and intricacies of our country are peculiar. For instance, the INEC is expected to manage 94 millions voters across 176,846 for which they need extra hands; as against Ghana’s 40,975 polling units with about 19 million registered voters. Nigeria is a macrocosm, but I cannot say the same of Ghana; levels of education and culture also play roles in terms of voter behavior, election conduct and outcomes. 

I understand that the INEC recruits about 800,000 adhoc staff for effective conduct and management of elections. At least four adhoc staff are expected to facilitate the assignments in each polling unit on election day. These adhoc staff may not have the same level of commitment to the process, as the core INEC staff; yet they participate in handling sensitive roles during the election. To my mind, the recruitment of adhoc staff is the beginning of rigging; and the political parties would most likely be culpable when it comes to this act. They are said to sponsor some persons during the recruitment process into the INEC, with the aim of using them during the election. Such sponsored adhoc staff act as the “eyes and ears” of the sponsoring parties. They are often given specific ancillary and possibly antithetical roles to play from what the INEC mandates them to do. So, from day one, the process is faulty, compromised and orchestrated by no design of the INEC, but these same political parties that cry, “wolf.” These may be the category of staff that hack into INEC’s cyber-architecture to cause electoral havoc. This is one reason why the INEC, in my opinion, should be unbundled. 

The INEC is beleaguered by too many responsibilities: voters registration, polling units delineation, voters education, recruitment of adhoc staff, political parties monitoring, conduct of elections, etc. I think these responsibilities are just too many for one body alone. We must commence the restructuring of the INEC by first taking away some responsibilities from the body, leaving Election Day responsibilities to another independent body; thereby allowing that body ample time and other resources to prepare for Election Day, strictly. Then, credible election results would seem propitious. To manage an additional 800,000 staff on election day is no joke by any stretch of one’s imagination. All players, stakeholders and parties must agree to work together, with base level standards established, if we must have credible polls. The desperation to win, at all costs, must be checked with eagle eyes and the magnanimity to accept the outcome of elections should be entrenched in the process. Imputing all blame on the INEC always, to sustain a negative public perception of the body is simply unjust. 

The same critics and analysts that praised the Ghanaian elections, I bet, would not exhibit decent behavior back home when election comes. Nigerians break traffic laws and blame it on witches and wizards. Go to Ghana and see the very meaning of compliance, strict adherence to the rule of law and enhanced citizen participation to make things right; then compare it to Nigeria, where it is believed, that the laws are observed in the breach. The high rate of unemployment and general frustration in the land, are veritable reasons why an adhoc staff would look the other way while the election process is being compromised. Politicians bribe these adhoc staff so much that they look forward to elections as another window to make ends meet. To conduct election across 177,000 polling units, same time, and on same day, is herculean by every cognitive consideration. In a country with poor power supply, it is frustrating getting it right. So while the INEC still contends with all these setbacks to deliver on its mandate, we need to appreciate them rather than condemn them.

I guess hunger too, makes cowards of us all. The next time a Nigerian asks for the head of the INEC on the guillotine, they should chop off their own head, first. The real change should begin with you and me.

· Afegbua is a former Commissioner of Information in Edo State