Aftermath of by-elections: By-elections more difficult to conduct — Nick Dazang

Nick Dazang, former director voter education and publicity at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) speaks on the recent by-elections that held in the country saying off-cycle elections are usually more difficult to conduct. He suggests what needs to be done to improvethe electoral process in Nigeria.   What are your thoughts on the by-elections […]

Nick Dazang, former director voter education and publicity at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) speaks on the recent by-elections that held in the country saying off-cycle elections are usually more difficult to conduct. He suggests what needs to be done to improvethe electoral process in Nigeria.

 

What are your thoughts on the by-elections and the rerun elections that held across the country last Saturday?

By-elections, re-run elections and off-cycle governorship elections are usually more challenging to conduct. This is because the factors that mar elections such as violence, vote buying, rigging, intimidation etc, coalesce or converge. In general, these evils are spread thin. These factors are usually worsened by heightened insecurity and the inauguration of campaign councils.

Last Saturday’s by-elections were unfortunately defined by intimidation, thuggery, vote buying and in a case in Osun State, a desperate attempt to compromise INEC officials. The elections were a reversal of the superlative performance INEC registered in the last Ondo off-season governorship election. INEC raised the bar in that off-cycle governorship election. In the last by-elections we witnessed its unfortunate lowering of the bar.

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What would you say about the conduct of politicians and the implication on the electoral system?

Their behaviour left much to be desired: They hired and unleashed thugs, some of whom were arrested. They used their proxies to buy votes and to compromise the elections. These show that they are desperate and that they are set in their crooked and unscrupulous ways. An electoral process that is flawed or compromised is a grave danger to our democracy and the deliverance of good governance to our people. The general implication is that our democracy and our electoral process are imperilled. This sad state of affairs calls for vigilance by all stakeholders. It also demands that the Election Management Body(EMB), namely, INEC, should carry itself with integrity at all times.

 

Though the elections held in only a fraction of the voting population, there were still complaints about low voter turn-out, vote buying etc. shouldn’t INEC have envisaged that and prepared well ahead?

Low voter turn-out/voter apathy have framed our elections in recent times. This is due to a number of factors. There’s poor mobilisation of voters, especially by the political parties, who are the chief beneficiaries of the process. Some Nigerians are doubtful if their votes will count. Others are scared by the violence that attend our elections. Yet others keep away because they are not positively impacted: They do not get dividends of democracy by way improvements in their well-being or the security of their lives and properties. Most voters are thus not incentivized to vote. Vote buying ought to be anticipated given the poverty in the land and the tendency of politicians to weaponize poverty and to exploit it during elections. More needs to be done by INEC and the anti-corruption agencies to check this menace. The Media and Civil Society should be forthcoming in exposing its novel manifestations and strategies deployed by politicians and their minions to buy votes.

Curiously, all the elections were held on the same day when the circumstances that necessitated the elections occurred at different times for instance that of Kano that was an inconclusive process from the 2023 general elections. Couldn’t such have been done one at a time?

My take is that INEC conducted these by-elections on the same day for administrative, financial and security considerations.

 

The Constitution stipulates ninety days within which by-elections should be conducted when there’s a vacuum, but most fell outside the ninety days. What’s the implication?

By law, as you have correctly observed, by-elections are supposed to be conducted ninety days after a seat, in the National or State Assembly has been declared vacant by a presiding officer either due to death or resignation. INEC, in time past, was scrupulous in adhering to the law. But due to the paucity of funds, which it put in the public domain, it has been sadly compelled to inadvertently breach this law. Subsequently, this should be avoided because it is not a good precedent. INEC should be well funded to discharge its statutory responsibilities.

 

Is there any indication that the politicians are more enlightened in their conducts regarding elections?

It is not as if the politicians are not sufficiently enlightened. They just seem to take delight in breaching the law. This is partly bad habit. It is partly impunity. Where sanctions are not enforced or visited for infractions people take the laws into their hands.

 

What can be done to check irregularities on the part of the politicians in 2027?

Where there are violations or infractions, the law should take its cause no matter whose ox is gored. Where offenders are apprehended, tried and punished to the full extent of the law, we should see some deterrence and change of behaviour. INEC should lead in this direction. In the last Kogi off-cycle governorship election, some ad hoc staff were apprehended for filling result sheets in advance of the election. We are yet to hear of what happened to the perpetrators of this crime. Once such persons are treated with levity or allowed to go scot-free, others will be emboldened to commit similar, if not worse crimes.

 

How can INEC get it right in 2027?

Much as the conduct of the last by-elections are deeply concerning, it will be preposterous to view them as a dress rehearsal for the conduct of the 2027 General Elections. There is still scope for improvement. INEC must, however, be faithful and true to its core values and principles. At all times it must lay premium on and demonstrate integrity, transparency and impartiality in its carriage and dealings. Its leadership must always summon the courage to do the right things.

As the chief driver of our elections, the buck stops on INEC’s table. It is an onerous responsibility it can neither shirk nor outsource. It must, therefore, provide honest and patriotic leadership. And rather than conduct elections that oscillate between mediocrity and excellence, it should fix its gaze firmly on the latter. Excellence should be INEC’s mantra and article of faith.