Former INEC Official Identifies Internal Sabotage and Corruption as Primary Electoral Threats

Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been described by former Resident Electoral Commissioner Mike Igini as the country’s most innovative public institution. However, Igini warns that this progress is being systematically eroded by internal and external forces. In a recent appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Igini argued that the commission’s primary struggle is not a lack of technological advancement, but rather the persistent influence of corruption and sabotage.

Technological Progress vs. Human Interference

According to Igini, INEC has successfully integrated several critical tools designed to enhance transparency in the electoral process. These include the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), and the implementation of Form EC60E. Despite these advancements, Igini contends that the effectiveness of these tools is frequently compromised by actors who seek to manipulate the outcome of elections.

Igini stated that the challenges facing the commission are twofold: sabotage originating from within the institution and pressure exerted by external political actors. He emphasized that the commission is not suffering from a shortage of ideas, but from a failure to protect its systems from bad-faith actors.

The Vulnerability of Ad-Hoc Recruitment

A significant portion of Igini’s critique focused on the recruitment of ad-hoc staff. He noted that political actors have developed sophisticated methods to infiltrate the commission’s workforce, specifically targeting the recruitment process for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). By influencing who is selected to assist in polling units, these actors reportedly attempt to rig the electoral process at the grassroots level.

INEC is the most innovative public institution in Nigeria, but the challenge is sabotage and corruption. Sabotage from within and without, said Igini.

Implications for the 2027 General Election

Looking ahead, Igini issued a stern warning regarding the 2027 general election. He suggested that unless the country takes decisive steps to insulate the electoral body from both internal saboteurs and corrupt politicians, the credibility of the upcoming polls will be severely compromised. He argued that the future of Nigerian democracy depends on the ability to safeguard these technological innovations from those who wish to undermine them.

Conclusion

The perspective offered by the former commissioner highlights a recurring tension in Nigerian governance: the gap between technological modernization and the political culture surrounding it. While INEC continues to deploy new systems to ensure transparency, Igini’s assessment suggests that without addressing the human elements of corruption and institutional infiltration, the technical gains may remain insufficient to secure the integrity of the democratic process.

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p class=”vbna-source-note”>Source: Daily Post Nigeria

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