The conduct of the 2015 general elections was a watershed in Nigeria’s electoral process, but this year’s polls seem to have tainted this record, an indication that the country is witnessing retrogression in its electoral process, write BIYI ADEGOROYE and ONYEKACHI EZE
As the declaration of the governorship 2019 elections is coming to a close across the country, one observable fact is that instead of recording improvements, the standards of the electoral process seem to be on a decline.
Using such standard checklists as “ deployment of sensitive materials, deployment of INEC staff, utilisation and functioning of card readers, missing names on voter register, deployment and adequacy of security agents, arrival of security personnel at the polling units and several others,” the election this year seemed to have fallen bellow standards.
Late arrival of materials
Whereas the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), deployed sensitive materials to Central Bank in various states of the federation two days before the election, deployment to various local governments, Registration Area Centres (RACs), wards and polling units were not very smooth.
There were reports of late arrival of material in many parts of the country and other logistic problems, which questioned INEC’s management of the election logistics supply chain. For instance, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, said materials arrived around 2pm in Andoni/Egbema Local Government and he voted around 3pm on February 23. The situation was not different in many parts of the country.
Failure of Card Readers
Similarly, observers reported failure of smartcard readers in some polling units leading to the slow-down of the election, compelling polling officials to resort to manual accreditation, checking of their names on the list while efforts were made to replace such card readers.
There were also issues of missing names on the Voters’ Register in many parts of the country, including Bwari Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja affected were Kabusa Ward 001 to 014 located along airport road which include Karamajiji, Kuchingoro, Pyakasa, Aleyita, Zhidu, Piwoyi and Galadima villages. Others are Lugbe Primary School, Gidan Mangoro, Chief Palace, New Market, FHA Gate, King of Kings School, Gosa and Aco Estate.
Vote Buying
Incidents of vote buying were reported in some states, including Akwa-Ibom and Kogi states. In Niger State, the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Umar Nasko decried shortage of ballot papers in some polling units in the Niger North Senatorial zone. He also alleged that there was vote buying in most parts of the state.
It was alleged that both the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC), bought votes for as low as N1,000. In Osun State, a new dimension arose in Ijeshaland, in Obokun Local Government Area when electorate were reportedly forced by party agents to straddle guns displayed at different polling units as part of oath-taking process to vote them into power after receiving N5,000 each.
Attempt by our report to infiltrate the venues was rebuffed as fierce-looking political thugs prevented him. But perpetrated were over-heard saying,” If you collect our money and you betray us, the god of iron will strike you down and gods of the land will also descend on you bitterly with sudden death and leprosy.”
The Election Security Support Centre (ESSC) of CLEEN Foundation, in collaboration with the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), deplored poor handling of the elections and various security issues.
The Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation, Dr. Benson Olugbuo said that the assessment from the “field indicates that there were some cases of destruction of electoral materials and attack on security personnel on electoral duty.”
On safety and security, the group frowned at “some disturbing reports of arrest and molestation of election observers. One of the observers deployed by YIAGA AFRICA was arrested and detained by the Police at the Kafanchan Area Command, Kaduna State. The observer was later released.
“For example, at Ward 4, Unit 13 of Orukanam Local Government Area of Akwa-Ibom State, no security official was sighted as at the time scheduled for the commencement of the elections. The same was also noticed for PU 017, Danbatta East Ward, Danbatta Local Government Area in Kano State, security officials were not present at 8:00 am.”
Also, the Centre for Democracy and Development’s Election Analysis Centre (EAC) which deployed observers to 17 politically-charged and violence-prone battleground states for the elections said the election were far from impressive.
Voter turnout
In its report, it said the elections of March 9 were characterised by low voter turnout in many parts of the country. Some of those interviewed by our observers expressed interest only in the outcome of the presidential elections, while some expressed doubt as to whether their votes will count. The threat of violence also kept away some voters from the polls. The turout fell drastically during the governorship and state assembly polls.
Electoral Violence
The CDD EAC found “worrying the quantum of violence that characterised the elections this year. A total of 30 people were killed across the country during the presidential and National Assembly elections. Armed thugs turned their guns on citizens and opposing political parties. We also noted the actions of armed bandits and Boko Haram insurgents in Katsina and Adamawa states.
“We also note with dismay the activities of security personnel around the country, who have been accused of interference in the electoral process and failure to protect electoral staff and materials. We flag the need to review the rules of engagement guiding the involvement of security personnel in election duties. It is saddening that a suspected ballot box snatcher was killed and that an aide to a candidate also lost his life to so-called accidental discharge.
Intimidation and abductions
Different forms of threats, harassment, intimidation and assault were reported during the elections, the NGO said. “We reckon that these attempts are aimed at undermining the system usually to favour the perpetrators. Our monitors on the ground did not only report cases of intimidation but were victims, too.
“One of our observers was arrested by soldiers in the Mile 2 area of Lagos State by soldiers on his way to cover the protest over non-payment of allowances by ad-hoc staff. Political thugs slapped and abducted our observer in at PU 2 Afaha Nsit ward of Akwa Ibom and later requested a ransom. Our observer was abducted by political thugs for reporting and sharing photos and permanent voter’s card of under-aged voters in Polling Unit 15, Ward 04 of Shendam local government area of in Plateau state. He was later released. In a related incident, a politician slapped a BBC journalist in Lagos in a brazen show of power.”
Arson
The NGO also said it noticed that arson was, like abductions, used as a weapon during gubernatorial and state houses of assembly polls, a shift away from the trend before the presidential and National Assembly elections where burning of offices occurred in the run-up to the polls.
“The deliberate burning of the electoral commission’s offices and election materials and ballot was reported in Ibesikpo Local Government Area of the state on March 8 and before the commencement of voting, political thugs burned down three Registration Area Centres (RACs) in Okposi in Ohaozara LGA as well as Oriuzor and Ekka in Ezza North LGA all in Ebonyi state.
“Similar incidents were reported in of thugs burning election materials in Ward 10 Unit 6 in Usagbe Primary School, Ogbido in Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State and razing down a Roman Catholic primary school in Aya containing electoral materials meant for Mbalom ward in Gwer East Local Government Area of Benue.
Electoral Irregularities
The CDD EAC expressed serious concern over the level of electoral irregularities in some states. In Imo State, for instance, shortly after the commencement of voting, it was reported that there was open ballot stuffing at polling unit 010A and 010B at Mbutu Ward, Aboh Mbaise, Local Government Area of the state.
Flashback to 2015
By way of hindsight, the 2015 election was better. The International Republican Institute (IRI) reports on the conduct of the elections buoyed the hope of Nigerians that the country’s electoral process was on course. Though the institute said voter turnout was low, about 43.65 per cent, it scored the conduct of security agencies high.
IRI said: “The police and other security services played an overall positive role in providing security to polling units on Election Day without interfering in electoral processes.
“IRI observers reported security personnel were present at 81 per cent of polling units observed. While civil society, voters and the media had raised important questions about the role that the police and military would play and concerns about the potential for intimidation, in the end, observers did not witness this.
“After long delays at polling units in Ekiti State, when tensions were high, police played a positive, critical role, police were seen distributing election materials due to the understaffing of the polling unit. Aside from this minor incident, no reports were made of security personnel interfering in the electoral process in any way.”
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which deployed 250 observers to monitor the general elections, also said the conduct was generally free, fair and transparent.
The team, which was led by John Kuffuor, former President of Ghana, commended INEC officials for “the good knowledge of compliance with voting procedure rules as well as for the effective administration of the process.”
United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Stuart Symington, noted that transparency in the conduct of the 2015 elections had helped Nigeria to play a leading role expected of it in Africa.
Symington said: “Majority views across the globe were that the elections were conducted in the atmosphere of peace imposed by wind of hope and shaped by the certainty of comfort. So, the combination of peace, hope and comfort seem to me a sort of key that is needed, going forward.”
The election was the first in Nigeria’s history where an incumbent president lost and congratulated the winner. Even some incumbent state governors like Ramalan Yaro of Kaduna State, taking a cue from the former President, Goodluck Jonathan, refused to challenge the outcome of the election in court, after he failed to secure a second term in office. The 2015 elections was therefore the least challenged in Nigeria’s history.
Fours years after, Nigerians expected improvement in the electoral process and since technology defined the 2015 general elections, Nigerians also expected an improvement in the deployment of technology for the 2019 general elections.
The 2015 elections were the first to be conducted in the country with the aid of technology. Permanent Voter Card (PVC) and Smart Card Reader (SCR) machine were used n the conduct of the elections.
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who was appointed in November 2015 as the commission’s Chairman, promised an improvement in the nation’s electoral process.
Prof. Yakubu, who acknowledged that the elections met international standard, contrary to situation in the past where there were protests on the streets after elections, said the commission would deepen the use of technology to improve on the country’s electoral system.
Sometime in 2017, the INEC Chairman told the Senate that the commission would deploy adequate technology for the 2019 general election. Part of the technology, according to him, would be the introduction of electronic voting as provided in the amended Electoral Act.
“This is the most technologically-friendly amendment to the Electoral Act in the history of this country. All the encumbrances to the deployment of the technology in elections have now been addressed.
“So INEC has the free hand to fully employ appropriate technology in the conduct of our elections. This is all the more remarkable because the deployment of technology helped the 2015 general elections, and I want to assure you that we are going to deepen the use of technology in the conduct of elections,” he stated.
The INEC Chairman was excited that the amendment came two years before the general elections unlike “the last amendment (which) was assented to two days to the last general elections.
“So the document only came to light after the elections. But here we are, two clear years to the elections, we have the bill passed by the Senate. What the Senate has done is all the more remarkable because this is one of the most extensive amendments to the Act. We worked with the Senate Committee on INEC and we produced our own submissions.
“I am happy to say that virtually all the submissions were taken care of, including some of the developments in the bill that challenged our electoral jurisprudence; Kogi State was one.”
Yakubu also told Computer Professionals Registration Council of Nigeria that 2019 elections would be fully technologically and electronically based. “Something happened in the 2015 general elections with increasing deployment of technology. This commission is deeply committed to further deepening the deployment of technology,” he assured.
But despite the promise, there was no improvement in the use of technology in the conduct of the 2019 general elections. Though the commission had made effort to ensure electronic transmission of the election results, but it was encumbered by refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the amended Electoral Act into law, on more than three occasions.
What INEC therefore did, was to modify the use of smart card readers and phase out the use of incident forms. The electronic collation of results was also jettisoned because it is not constitutional.
President Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, had defended the president’s refusal to sign the electoral bill, claiming that he acted in the best interest of the nation.
“It is getting too close to election time and it will be dangerous to bring in a new electoral law at this time when the process of election had commenced from August, September, October last year.
“If you come to conclusion under a new law, it will cause confusion and may lead to anarchy. I think that what the president is to do is to take the best of discretion and from his vantage point as President of the country, to look at international best practices,” Enang said.
Ironically, the Electoral Act amendment that allowed the use of card reader was signed two days to the 2015 general elections, and based on the transparency in the conduct, former President Jonathan accepted defeat and congratulated Buhari on his victory.
Also of great importance is the conduct of security personnel during the general elections which left much to be desired. Their partisanship was obvious.
For instance, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room on March 8, a day to the governorship, state Assembly and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, expressed concern over the worsening security environment on the eve of the elections.
The report, which was signed by the convener, Clement Nwankwo noted “an escalation of violence between and within political parties and their supporters as well as reports of partisanship of security agencies in the discharge of their duties, harassing and intimidating candidates, their supporters and voters.
“Reports from across several states and some Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) point to an intimidating presence of military personnel who are unwilling to assist in providing security and safe delivery of election materials in locations and INEC completely helpless in this circumstance.
“Situation Room is also concerned that the deployment of military hardware including fighter jets, attack helicopters etc, and excessive military deployment across the country posed an unacceptable and disenfranchising atmosphere and represents a major disincentive for good voter turnout or free exercise of choice by citizens. The tension is palpable and would only serve to undermine the credibility of the election process.
“Situation Room calls on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to immediately issue orders to the military hierarchy to comply with their constitutional and legal responsibilities and conduct themselves within the scope of their roles and responsibility as provided in Section 29 (3) of the Electoral Act 2015 as Amended.
“The escalation of violence has led to loss of lives and destruction of properties in Oto-Awori, Ojo Local Government Area in Lagos State where 35 vehicles were burnt and two persons killed as a result of violence between members of the APC.
“There is tension and apprehension in Okirika Local Government Area in Rivers State due to heavy deployment of the military and sporadic gunshots. These are just a few examples of the escalating cases of violence that our observers have reported.
“Situation Room is also calling on the INEC to use the mechanism of the inter-agency security platform to address cases of security overreach and intimidation. They should also take steps to ensure security protocol for deployment and protection of INEC staff and the voting process is strictly adhered to. INEC is expected through words and action to condemn any action capable of intimidating voters whether perpetrated by the state, the military or individuals.”
There were reports that in some states, men in army uniform took over collation of election results and chased away INEC staff and party agents.
INEC in a statement on March 10, a day after the elections, admitted that its staff were taken hostage “and materials including result sheets have either been seized or destroyed by authorised persons.”
Consequently, the commission suspended collation in Rivers State and set up a fact-finding committee to assess the situation.
Reform
Unlike the situation in 2015, the conduct of this year’s general elections left much to be desired. Even voter turnout was abysmally low, put at 35.6 per cent, representing about 8.59 per cent lower than that of 2015. From the foregoing, observers believe the Nigeria’s election is retrogressing, a cause of serious concern.
Top among them is the European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) to Nigeria which called for electoral reforms after the 2019 general elections. Ms Maria Arena, the missions Chief Observer, at the second presentation of its preliminary report said:
“Following the 2019 general elections, the mission has observed that there is urgent need for electoral reform in Nigeria. The systemic failings and electoral security problems of the last few weeks and months show that there is real need for serious electoral reforms in Nigeria.
“While there were operational improvements in the March 9 elections, they were overshadowed by troubling electoral security and violence, abuse of incumbency and institutional failings.” Whether this will culminate in presidential assent on the amended Electoral Act, which President Buhari had turned down a record five times, remain to be seen.
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