…Say 2019 Poll Was Not Credible, Poses Questions for Quality of Democracy in Nigeria

A coalition of 70 Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, in the country has called for global visa restrictions for those culpable in rigging of the 2019 General Elections.

The group, which operates on the platform of Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room, said there was a need for other countries to follow the example that was recently set by the United States of America, saying it would help to sanitise the electoral process in Nigeria.

“Recent decision by the US Government announcing visa bans against persons infringing the electoral process and subverting the people’s vote is commendable.

“There is a need for a worldwide adoption of the principle of visa restrictions against such persons. Situation Room calls on other countries to follow the United States example,” the report added.

The CSOs took the position on Wednesday in a final report they issued in Abuja with regard to the last general elections.

In the report, which was presented to newsmen by Convener of the CSOs and Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Center, PLAC, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, it concluded that the elections failed to meet the threshold for a credible poll, saying it posed serious questions about the future of elections and quality of democracy in Nigeria.

The group however scored the election high in terms of citizen mobilisation. “the election was one in which citizens were determined and mobilised to exercise their votes, including marginalised groups such as women, persons with disabilities (PWDs), young people, etc,” it said.

“This positive excitement was truncated by the unexpected postponement of elections from the initial dates set”, Nwankwo stated, adding that the group deployed observers to all the six geopolitical zones in the country during the elections.

As part of its recommendations, the CSOs, called for an independent inquiry into the poor management of the electoral process by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC).

“Nigeria’s elections continue to be very expensive, the budget for the 2019 elections was N242.4billion. This cost is not sustainable, it is important to open up national conversation on how to achieve sustainable costs for the conduct of elections in Nigeria.”

Other experts have also decried the high cost of elections in the country. In his paper titled, “Cost of Elections in Nigeria”, Prof Adele Jinadu, former Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo says that with a registered voter list of 68.9 million and an election cost of N122, 9 billion, the cost of the 2015 general elections which saw the ouster of former president Goodluck Jonathan, was N1158 or US$8.5 per voter at an exchange rate of N210:US$.

According to Jinadu, a former INEC commissioner, a large chunk of this amount went to defray the cost of honoraria, training and transportation to 5000 adhoc staff hired for election duties.

Speaking at the international conference on Opportunities And Challenges In The Use of Technology in Elections: Experiences From West And Southern Africa hosted in Abuja in 2018, Jinadu argues that “Although there was a decrease in the cost of the 2015 general elections (N122.9 billion), compared to the cost of the 2011 general elections (N135.9 billion), current projected cost of the 2019 general elections is N189.2 billion. With a projected figure of 73 million registered voters, the projected cost per voter for the 2019 general elections at the official exchange rate of N360:US$ will be US$8.5 per voter.”

His recipe to reduce the burden of election on government however is to “Consider the feasibility of ECOWAS member countries imposing an election tax on the private sector in the region, to be administered and used to defray election costs, as part of their corporate social responsibility and investment in the region’s democracy and development”.

He also conceded that the costs of elections could in some instances be exaggerated. Inferring from his experience, Jinadu posited, “How much was voted? What was released? What was spent? What was left?” contending that much is also lost to leakages in the system. “When I was appointed Electoral Commissioner, there was a friend who told me that “this was your golden opportunity to make a clean out””. 

Aside from decrying the multiplicity of political parties, the CSOs said there was need to interrogate the failure of Smart Card Readers in identified polling units.

“Following its findings from the independent enquiry, INEC should overhaul its processes and systems for procurement and logistics for elections.

“Situation Room calls for collaboration between election stakeholders and civil society organisations in Nigeria and the international community to bring to account persons who subvert the electoral process as a result of their actions and activities.

The U.S. State Department said last Tuesday it had imposed visa restrictions on Nigerians it said were involved in trying to undermine democracy in presidential and parliamentary elections this year.

However, the department did not name the individuals or say how many were affected by the visa restrictions.

President Muhammadu Buhari won a second term in February in an election marred by delays, logistical glitches and violence. His main opponent, Mr Atiku Abubakar is in court challenging the validity of that election.

“These individuals have operated with impunity at the expense of the Nigerian people and undermined democratic principles and human rights,” spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said in a statement.

“The Department of State emphasises that the actions announced today are specific to certain individuals and not directed at the Nigerian people or the newly elected government,” Ortagus added.

Photo: US Secretary of State, Mr Michael R. Pompeo