2023: Yiaga Africa collaborates with ANNO for voter education and location of polling stations
In Nigeria’s current political context, where the frantic search for power is pushing some politicians to compromise electoral reforms, the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Progress (YIAGA) Africa is sounding the alarm. Samson Itodo, Executive Director of YIAGA Africa, expressed this concern during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
According to Itodo, it is crucial to put in place laws to limit abuses committed by those who undermine the electoral process. In particular, he highlighted the problems linked to the preparation of polling station results sheets even before voters have expressed their choice. These practices compromise the credibility of elections.
Itodo said: “Politicians have now understood that BVAS (Biometric Voter Verification System) is a key element in ensuring the integrity of the electoral process. It limits multiple voting and proxy voting. What we are seeing now , it is this constant attempt to undermine the process. When we think about reforms and lessons to be learned, we must sensitize our political class to the need to change their behavior towards elections. We must demand integrity of our politicians and encourage them to respect the rules of the game.
Meanwhile, Jide Ojo, a public affairs analyst, also expressed concern that the behavior of the political class would undermine the electoral process. He highlighted the need for behavioral reforms within the political class, emphasizing that electoral reform goes beyond legal or administrative changes.
Ojo calls for a collective effort to address the challenges and threats to democracy in Nigeria. He deplores the desire of political elites to frustrate electoral disputes and criticizes their tendency to crush anyone who opposes their interests.
“The 2022 Electoral Law included many reforms, but in 2023, we saw the subversion of these technological devices. We saw how they were favored and supported by the courts, relying on technical aspects. I am seriously concerned about the character and attitude of the current political elite, who will stop at nothing – you cannot oppose them, they will crush you; if you refuse to do their will, they will crush you. Numerous threats are now weighing on democracy. We need to be concerned about this; electoral reform is not just about legal or administrative reforms, but also about behavioral reforms,” he said.
Ojo highlighted the difficulties faced by election applicants in obtaining the necessary documents within the 21-day period, citing the examples of Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo elections.
This article highlights the need for profound reforms to the electoral system in Nigeria, emphasizing the responsibility of politicians in preserving the integrity of the process. It also highlights the challenges faced by election applicants and their difficulty in obtaining the necessary documents within the stipulated time frame. Collective awareness and concrete measures are necessary to ensure free and fair elections in the country.