My Grouse With INEC – by Frank Ofili
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In the past, it used to be voter apathy. That is not the case this time. In fact, this time around, there was voter enthusiasm. Against all odds, Nigerians came out en-mass to vote.
But INEC bungled things up, thus disenfranchising more than double the number of people who actually voted
Like June 12 1993, Nigeria achieved a national consensus on the imperative of democratic elections and the necessity for participation. The young, the old, and even the elements – all cooperated – to make the election succeed.
But INEC, despite getting every support it asked for, was shoddy and unprepared.
My grouse with INEC is: (1) More people were disenfranchised than those who actually voted. This much has been acknowledged by international observers. (2) The Electoral Act was breached in some cases, thus, throwing up a situation there was no standard and uniform application of the rules. A case in point is in transmission of results. (3) In some instances, there was clear case of INEC Ad-hoc officials in the field being compromised, some even partisan, thumb printing and falsifying results.
If things get bungled again, and we fail to take full advantage of the new national electoral awareness just arrived at, I’m afraid it will take us another 30 years, may be even 50, to achieve same again.
This INEC must prove that it can be trusted. It should address and remedy areas of concern
