The Benue State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Sam Egwu, has expressed concerns over the appointment of card-carrying members of political parties as heads of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices both in the state and at the national level and still expects the commission to do magic and conduct free, fair and credible elections.
Prof. Egwu, who disclosed this during a Citizen Town Hall meeting on Electoral Reforms organised by Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) in Makurdi, called on the civil society organisations to scrutinise the backgrounds of individuals appointed as officers of the commission, including the chairman and other members, to prevent partisan bias and promote transparency.
He also decried a situation in which Nigerians overlook when politicians appoint their political allies as members of the Commission without calling for the verification of their backgrounds and, in the end, still want INEC to perform magic.
According to him, “This lack of oversight can lead to biased decision-making and undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process. For the country to get its electoral reform right, screening and verifying the background of those appointed into key positions in INEC should be paramount.”
Prof. Egwu advised those agitating for electoral reforms not to think that all problems can be solved through electoral reform “because you can have a good law. However, it will still require good managers if the people managing our elections are not people of integrity. The best electoral law cannot guarantee the best selection.”
He said, “Though it is good to focus on the Legal and Constitutional framework, I want to advise here that we should be more focused on human agency because that is the game changer.”
In a welcome address, the executive director of PAACA, Ezenwa Nwagwu, said the aim of the meeting was to foster inclusive dialogue among citizens from varying backgrounds concerning electoral reform and Constitutional amendment.
He stated, “This will help enhance public understanding and awareness regarding electoral reform, after which the organisation will compile and present citizen-derived recommendations to the National Assembly and INEC for consideration.”
Earlier, the representative of the disability community at the meeting, Jacintha Igwilo, lamented the disenfranchisement of Persons With Disability (PWDs) during the 2023 general elections despite the huge monies allegedly invested by the federal government to ensure their participation in the polls.
Comrade Igwilo, the chairman of the Albinism Benue State chapter, decried that as an agent in one of the polling units, she took it upon herself to ensure that everything needed to aid disabled persons in voting was in place.
“To my disappointment, in all the polling units I visited, there were no magnifying glasses for persons with albinism, no brail for the blind, no sign language interpreter for the deaf, and the places were inaccessible for the physically challenged persons,” she said.
While lamenting that she has not been paid her entitlement as an agent, Igwilo appealed to the state and federal governments to include persons with disabilities during the planning stage for every election to enable them to have a voice for their people.
“By working together, civil society organisations, the media, and citizens can promote a more transparent and accountable electoral process, ultimately strengthening Nigeria’s democracy,” she added.
