Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for the immediate dismissal of Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), along with other senior officials at federal, state, and local government levels. Obasanjo made the recommendation during a pre-recorded lecture titled Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria, presented at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University.
In his address, Obasanjo criticized the conduct of the 2023 general election, labeling it a “travesty” and underscoring the urgent need for reforms within INEC. He emphasized the importance of appointing credible, non-partisan individuals with shorter tenures to enhance transparency and restore public trust in Nigeria’s electoral process.
Criticism of INEC’s Technological Failures
Obasanjo accused INEC of deliberately failing to utilize critical technological tools, such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Election Result Viewing Portal (IReV), during the 2023 presidential election. These tools, previously celebrated for their potential to ensure election transparency, were not fully deployed, leading to widespread irregularities. Obasanjo described this oversight as “inviting the fox into the henhouse.”
“The BVAS and IReV systems were meant to eliminate rigging and foster trust in the electoral process,” he stated. “Their failure was not technical but intentional.”
Reform Proposals
To address these issues, Obasanjo proposed a comprehensive reform of INEC, including:
Stringent Vetting of Officials: Ensuring appointments are free from political influence.
Shorter Tenures: Reducing opportunities for officials to become entrenched in partisan politics.
Decentralized Leadership: Introducing new leadership structures across federal, state, and local levels to bolster accountability.
“The INEC Chairperson must not only be above reproach but must also demonstrate unwavering independence and integrity,” Obasanjo said.
Controversies and Responses
INEC’s credibility has come under scrutiny following the 2023 elections, particularly due to the technical glitches that marred the IReV platform. Despite legal challenges and public outcry, both the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal and the Supreme Court upheld the election results, which declared Bola Tinubu as the winner.
Obasanjo, a vocal supporter of Labour Party candidate Peter Obi during the elections, had previously called for the cancellation of results he deemed flawed. Critics have, however, highlighted irregularities during elections held under Obasanjo’s presidency, including the 2003 and 2007 polls, which were widely condemned by observers.
Calls for Broader Dialogue
The event, which also featured prominent Nigerians such as Peter Obi, Abia State Governor Alex Otti, and former Minister Oby Ezekwesili, emphasized the importance of leadership in addressing Africa’s challenges. Yale Africa Initiative head Cajetan Iheka echoed Achebe’s call for intellectual engagement to tackle leadership failures.
As Mahmood Yakubu’s tenure nears its end, the debate on INEC’s future and Nigeria’s electoral reforms remains critical to the nation’s democratic progress.
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