The eminent African novelist and critic, revered Chinua Achebe of blessed memories in his famous book titled: ” The Trouble With Nigeria” summarized the country’s problem to be “simply a failure of leadership…. the Nigerian’s problem is the unwillingness or the inability of its leaders to rise to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are the hallmarks of true leadership”. Achebe also challenged our (citizens) resignation and inspire us to reject stone age habit which inhibit our dear country from becoming a “modern and attractive country.”

The Nigerian media space has been awash with Electoral Act amendment which the Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had in its report suggested that electronic transmission be employed by INEC where practicable, as contained in section 52(3) of the bill.

However, according to reports, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger North) moved that INEC should only consider electronic transmission if the national network coverage is adjudged to be adequate and secure by the Nigerian Communications Commission and approved by the National Assembly. Abdullahi’s motion was seconded by Senator Ali Ndume (APC, Borno South). But some senators notably those of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) disagreed, throwing the Senate into a rowdy session.

In reaction, the senate minority leader, Enyinnanya Abaribe (PDP, Abia South) then called for public voting. According to Abaribe, the process would allow Nigerians to know who is voting for what. The Senators proceeded to publicly vote but they were visibly divided along party lines.

Our situation as a nation can only get better if we get leadership right. How can we get leadership right if the electoral process that produce our leaders is mired with irregularities as a result of the inefficient manual system? It is a truism that analogue system does not serve any institution well in the 21st century hence INEC in it’s electoral reform bill sought to digitize the electoral process to minimize the jaggedness that comes with the manual system.

While many Nigerians saw it as a welcome development and progress long overdue, the National Assembly was plunged into disarray over whether there should be electronic transmission of election results. In the end the National Assembly was polarized along party lines with APC pugnaciously towing the path of reversing to the antiquity of manual election. Their excuse is that there’s limited broadband penetration across the country. But we still have two years to invest in the electronic infrastructures that can give us a free, fair and transparent elections.

Recall also that ballot snatching has been a worrisome phenomenon to electoral process in Nigeria for as long election itself. President Muhammadu Buhari perplexed about the recurrent decimal of ballot snatching during elections, ordered extra judicial killing of ballot box snatchers in the build up to 2019 election. Now that INEC has come up with electronic transmission of results that will eliminate ballot box snatching, APC law makers and the president himself are dilly-dallying about it.

Though one wonders why the president himself has three times declined to assent the electoral reform bill which among others will render ballot box snatchers incapacitated to a very great extent. It’s the President’s procrastination that has lingered the bill at the National Assembly uptill date. The body language of APC leaders across board on the electoral reform bill has raised a lot of conspiracy theories that the party is anxious it will loose 2023 elections should the elections be free, fair and transparent in the manner the bill presents.

But, regardless of what’s actually happening behind the scenes, one thing is clear. The Independence of INEC is threatened as it is now been subjected to seek approval from National Communication Commission (NCC) or the National Assembly before transmitting election results electronically. This becomes a matter of grave concern as the hope of a credible elections lies in the independence of the unbiased electoral umpire.

The sixteen years of PDP rule did not fulfil the aspirations and yearnings of the Nigerian masses hence they fell for the change mantra of APC and consequently the party won the 2015 and 2019 presidential elections. But it is rather paradoxical that the party which promised Nigerians change is in practice, curiosily averse to progressive change.

The six years of APC rule so far has left so much to be desired. Economic hardship and insecurity which the party promised to fix have worsened but the party and president Mohammadu Buhari can be judged kindly by posterity just like Goodluck Jonathan if they give INEC and Nigerians a free, fair and transparent elections by allowing INEC exercise it’s duties without external control, the way it should be.

In the memorable phrase of President Abraham Lincoln, democracy is government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Let the people get the government they want in a free, fair and transparent elections as enshrined in our constitution.
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Sinafi Omanga is a serving Corps member with the Nigerian Observer.