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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has reignited conversations around the urgent need for electoral reform in Nigeria, calling for a complete restructuring of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Speaking via a recorded address at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum held at Yale University, Obasanjo urged the dismissal of INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu and other officials, emphasizing the necessity of vetting and appointing credible individuals to rebuild trust in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Obasanjo criticized INEC’s performance in the 2023 general elections, accusing the commission of failing to implement key technologies such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV).
He argued that this failure was not due to technical glitches but deliberate inaction, which led to widespread irregularities.
“These technologies were touted by the INEC chairman himself. In the end, these technologies did not fail.
“INEC wilfully failed to use or implement them which resulted in widespread voting irregularities. It was a case of inviting the fox into the hen house,” Obasanjo stated.
The former President stressed the need for short tenures for INEC officials to prevent corruption and undue political influence, adding that credible leadership at all levels—federal, state, and local—was critical to restoring electoral integrity.
“As a matter of urgency, we must make sure the INEC chairperson and his or her staff are thoroughly vetted. The vetting exercise should yield dispassionate, non-partisan, actors with impeccable reputations.
“Nigeria must ensure the appointment of new credible INEC leadership at the federal, state, local government and municipal – city, town, and village levels – with short tenures – to prevent undesirable political influence and corruption, and re-establish trust in the electoral systems by its citizens.
“The INEC chairperson must not only be absolutely above board, he must also be transparently independent and incorruptible,” Obasanjo stated.
The Presidency, however, dismissed Obasanjo’s remarks as hypocritical.
Earlier on Monday, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Public Communication and Orientation, Sunday Dare, described Obasanjo as a man with “a tremendous capacity for mischief.”
Similarly, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Tinubu, accused Obasanjo of presiding over some of Nigeria’s most fraudulent elections during his tenure.
Onanuga described the ex-president’s call for INEC leadership overhaul as ironic, given his administration’s controversial electoral history.
“After wasting billions of naira on a failed third-term project in 2007, Chief Obasanjo hurriedly organised a sham electoral process that would go down in history as the most fraudulent election held in Nigeria since 1960.
“The beneficiary of the sham election, Umaru Yar’adua, admitted that the election was seriously flawed and, as Justice Muhammed Uwais’s panel recommended, worked towards electoral reforms.
“It is hypocrisy writ large when a man who presided over the worst election in Nigeria demands the sack of the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission,” Onanuga wrote.
This renewed debate comes amid lingering dissatisfaction with the 2023 elections and off-cycle gubernatorial polls in states like Kogi, Imo, and Edo.
The alleged non-compliance with the 2022 Electoral Act by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) formed a key argument in the legal challenges filed by Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) against the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 presidential election.
Despite losing at both the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) and the Supreme Court, Atiku and Obi insisted that INEC failed to adhere to the provisions of the electoral law and its own regulations during the election.
They argued that the commission violated its guidelines by failing to deploy required technological tools for voter accreditation and result verification.
The Supreme Court acknowledged these concerns, noting that the malfunction of INEC’s Result Viewing (IReV) portal undermines public confidence in the electoral process.
Justice John Okoro, delivering the lead judgment in Atiku’s appeal, remarked, “Truth must be told, the non-functioning of the IReV may also reduce the confidence of the voting public in the electoral process.”
Adding to the discourse, Sam Amadi, Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, highlighted the need for sweeping electoral reforms.
He criticised the “gross flaws” and “manipulations” observed during the Edo State governorship election, which he said were enough to warrant a complete overhaul of the electoral system.
Amadi also suggested on X.com that anyone aspiring for the presidency in 2027 must prioritise disbanding INEC.
“Anyone thinking of being the President of Nigeria in 2027 and not thinking of disbanding this @inecnigeria is not serious,” he posted on X.
At a recent press briefing in Abuja, Amadi expressed doubts about INEC’s ability to deliver credible elections in the future, citing inconsistencies between results declared by the commission and those uploaded on the IReV platform during the Edo polls.
He called for greater transparency and accountability in result collation and certification processes, stressing that INEC’s performance in Edo had failed to inspire trust ahead of subsequent elections.
“There were allegations that election results were manipulated.
“The INEC leadership has assured that they will avoid the mistakes of Edo.
“There is no reason to trust that they would act honestly to uphold electoral integrity in Ondo.
“The second issue is the procedure of result collation in Edo. We have read reports of forensic reviews of observer groups. We see clearly that the result declared by INEC differs materially from the results uploaded in the IREV.
“This inconsistency is damaging to the integrity of the elections. Furthermore, INEC is issuing certified copies of results that are different from what it has uploaded on the IREV.
“This is alarming. It does not assure us of the integrity of future elections,” he said.
Similarly, Nduka Odo, a Public Affairs Analyst from Peaceland University, Enugu, criticised INEC’s lack of accountability and failure to ensure free and fair elections.
Speaking to DAILY POST, Odo described the commission’s excuses regarding infrastructure challenges as “unconvincing” and called for immediate reforms to restore integrity in the electoral process.
He echoed former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s concerns about INEC’s integrity, particularly in its handling of electronic result transmission.
Odo said, “INEC’s integrity is once again under fire, and I’m fed up with their constant failures.
“Like former President Obasanjo’s criticism, I agree that INEC’s lack of integrity, especially in electronic transmission of results, is alarming.
“The recent governorship election in Edo State was a critical test for INEC, and from what I’ve seen, they’ve failed miserably.
“Their inability to ensure transparency and fairness in the electoral process is appalling. The manipulation of results and lack of accountability among INEC officials are serious concerns that need to be addressed.
“The fact that some parties didn’t even submit polling and collation agents, yet they’re participating in the election, is a joke.
“The electronic transmission of results is not rocket science, but INEC has made it seem like an insurmountable task.
“Their excuses about national infrastructure and readiness are tired and unconvincing. It’s time for INEC to take responsibility for their failures and ensure that future elections are credible and transparent.
“INEC must get its act together: No more excuses, no more failures. INEC needs to demonstrate its commitment to free and fair elections.
“Accountability is key: INEC officials involved in electoral malpractices must be held accountable. Transparency is essential: Electronic transmission of results must be implemented effectively to prevent manipulation.
“It’s time for INEC to redeem its integrity and ensure that the people’s votes count. Anything less is unacceptable.”
On his part, Onyebuchi Igboke, Project Manager of Advocacy Partnership for Good Governance, advocated for a reform of Nigeria’s electoral system, starting with the removal of the president’s power to appoint the INEC chairman.
According to Igboke, INEC should be led by individuals with unquestionable integrity, a standard he claimed was not met by the current chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who failed to deliver on promises of real-time electronic result transmission during the 2023 elections.
Igboke further argued that elections are crucial for selecting leaders who manage resources and solve societal problems, stressing the need for a transparent and accountable process. He called for significant reforms to ensure future elections truly reflect the will of the people.
He said: “INEC as an institution should be manned only by persons who have integrity. From what was observed from the last election, the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu dashed the hope of Nigerians, especially young Nigerians.
“He made a promise severally before the 2023 presidential election to transmit results electronically, not just the transmission of results but in real time.
“However, everyone was disappointed how the results for the presidential election weren’t transmitted as he promised.
“I totally agree with what the former President Olusegun Obasanjo said about the institution lacking in integrity. In a sane clime, the INEC chairman should have resigned after the event of the 2022 general election.
“In the recent off-cycle elections in Kogi, Imo, Ondo, and Edo states, we saw what happened. Is that what we wish to have as an election?
“Election is a serious business because it gives people the opportunity to recruit individuals who will manage their resources, lead them into prosperity, and solve their problems.
“Electioneering in Nigeria should be reformed. This should begin by removing the power of the President to even appoint the INEC chairman.”
