Obasanjo Calls for Urgent Reforms in Nigeria’s Electoral System

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has highlighted the urgent need for reforms in Nigeria’s electoral system, emphasizing the importance of restoring electoral integrity.

Speaking in a recorded video at Yale University's Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum in New Haven, Connecticut, Obasanjo proposed the removal of Mahmood Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), along with other officials of the commission.

Obasanjo advocated for a rigorous vetting process to ensure that INEC officials are impartial and trustworthy.

"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," he stated.

He also recommended short tenures for INEC leadership positions to reduce political influence and corruption, stressing that the credibility of the commission is vital for public trust in the electoral process.

Obasanjo criticized the conduct of the 2023 elections, citing the failure to implement technologies like the INEC Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV) and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).

"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, resulting in widespread voting irregularities," he argued.

In response, Bayo Onanuga, Special Advisor on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, dismissed Obasanjo’s remarks, labeling them as hypocritical.

"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 in a statement.

He further alleged that Obasanjo’s administration orchestrated the most flawed elections in Nigeria’s history.

Obasanjo’s call for electoral reforms and the Presidency’s sharp rebuttal underline ongoing debates about the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process. As discussions continue, the push for transparent, impartial election management remains a key concern for citizens and policymakers alike.

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