Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for a sweeping reform of Nigeria’s electoral system, citing the need to restore credibility and public trust in the process. Speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum held at Yale University in the United States, Obasanjo specifically demanded the immediate removal of Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), along with all other electoral officials across various levels of government.
Describing the 2023 general election as a “travesty,” Obasanjo emphasized the urgency of overhauling the entire electoral framework. He proposed shorter tenures for INEC officials and a more stringent vetting process to ensure that only credible and non-partisan individuals are appointed to leadership roles within the commission.
“As a matter of urgency, we must ensure that the INEC Chairperson and their staff undergo thorough vetting. The aim should be to appoint dispassionate, non-partisan individuals with impeccable reputations,” Obasanjo stated. He further argued that credible leadership must be installed not only at the federal level but also across state, local government, and municipal areas, including cities, towns, and villages.
He added, “The INEC Chairperson must not only be above reproach but must also demonstrate transparency, independence, and incorruptibility.”
Obasanjo also criticized the commission’s failure to implement promised technological advancements, specifically the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV), during the 2023 presidential election. These innovations, he noted, were initially hailed as transformative tools for ensuring electoral transparency, accuracy, and integrity.
“The BVAS and IReV technologies were celebrated for their ability to enhance election credibility, prevent rigging, and strengthen public trust in the electoral process,” Obasanjo remarked. “However, despite assurances from the INEC chairman, these technologies were deliberately sidelined during the 2023 election. It was not a technological failure but a deliberate act by INEC to ignore these tools, leading to widespread irregularities.”
Obasanjo likened the situation to “inviting the fox into the henhouse,” accusing INEC of willfully failing to utilize these systems, which compromised the integrity of the electoral process and raised serious questions about the commission’s commitment to fairness and transparency.
He concluded by reiterating the need for Nigeria to prioritize the appointment of credible INEC leadership and implement systemic reforms that would prevent undue political influence and corruption in future elections.
