Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for the appointment of new and credible leadership for Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in order to restore integrity to the country’s electoral process. This appeal was made during his keynote address at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum held at Yale University, where he addressed the theme "Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria."
In his remarks, Obasanjo underscored the critical need for a comprehensive overhaul of INEC’s leadership structure. He proposed that the commission should be staffed by individuals who are non-partisan and possess impeccable reputations, emphasizing that this is essential for ensuring fair and transparent elections. He specifically urged for the vetting of the INEC chairperson and other key officials, advocating for a system where leadership positions are filled by dispassionate actors committed to upholding democratic principles.
Obasanjo did not shy away from criticizing the 2023 general elections, labeling them a "travesty." He pointed out significant failures on INEC's part, including the inability to effectively implement promised technological advancements such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV). He highlighted widespread voting irregularities and called for urgent electoral reforms to address these issues.
To enhance electoral integrity, Obasanjo recommended several measures. These include conducting transparent penetration testing of election systems, improving physical security for both election officials and voters, and ensuring stringent ballot security to prevent tampering. He also suggested that post-election audits become a standard practice to verify election outcomes.
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