By-elections conducted in Nigeria are far from meeting an acceptable standard – Political Scientist

Following the alleged lapses that characterised the recent by-elections in 12 States of the federation, the Nigeria Political Science Association (NPSA), on Tuesday, said that the conduct of elections in the country is still far from meeting the acceptable standards.

Hassan Saliu, a Professor and the president of NPSA, gave the assertion in a statement released to journalists in Ilorin, saying the conclusion of the association was evident in the level of accusations and counter-accusations made by the political forces that freely flowed after the by-elections.

He stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was not above the fray in the bickering that trailed the by-elections.

“The deployment of technology remains a challenge in the conduct of the country’s elections. Efforts need to be made to address all the revelations made during the by-elections regarding malfunctioning electoral devices and the delayed delivery of logistics.

“The country’s political parties have more to learn in conduct, organisation and in mobilising citizens for robust electoral engagement and turning out en masse on election day. Every INEC chairman has lamented the unedifying role of the registered political parties in the electoral process, which they consider a threat to free and fair elections.

“Politics is still akin to a ‘war’ for the country’s politicians, wherein morally repressive measures are resorted to swing votes. These were observed during the by-elections. The stakeholders in the electoral process must note this dimension and find a solution to it before the 2027 general elections,” Saliu said.

He noted that the power of incumbency is still strong, compelling attention in Nigeria’s elections, by virtue of which incumbents control all coercive instruments of the state at the expense of other political forces.

Saliu posits this is why the new Electoral Act must address the unsavoury development with a view to creating a level playing field for the political parties and their candidates.

He lamented that the laws of the land are often not respected by the political parties and their candidates, noting that, ” The law easily breaks down during elections due to compromise and an inadequate workforce by the security agencies to enforce the law.

” The issue of the law and its enforcement must be paid attention to by all stakeholders in the electoral process,” he added.

Saliu argued that the victory of any of the parties in the coming 2027 elections can only be assured if it demonstrates its readiness to engage with Nigerians by being forthcoming in its programmes to tackle the myriad problems facing the nation.