It was a festival idea on ways to improve the electioneering process in Nigeria and entrench credibility and accountability as the Initiative for Research, Innovation and Advocacy in Development, IRIAD, and the Electoral Hub launched The Electoral Forum.
At the public launch which took place on Tuesday in Abuja, experts and stakeholders while recognizing problems associated with conducting elections in the country also provided recommendations in the area of policies that would improve electoral governance.
The event attracted the Deputy President of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege; Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Yakubu Mahmud; former Chairman of the commission, Professor Attahiru Jega; former acting chair of the commission, Hajiya Amina Zakari; Prof Jibril Ibrahim, a senior fellow at the Center for Democracy and Development.
Others are Professor Adele Jinadu of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies; former directors and national commissioners of INEC; members of the civil society organizations and the press.
In her welcome address, Princess Hamman-Obels, the Director of Iriad – Electoral Hub, said the core objectives of the forum is to facilitate systematic electoral reforms; promote evidence-based law-making, policymaking and advocacy on elections in Nigeria; and advance strategies to improve capacities and credibility of Electoral Management Bodies in the country.
She explained that the forum as a platform will pool Electoral Management Bodies with other electoral stakeholders to conceptualise solutions to the unique problems facing the electoral process in Nigeria.
Professor Bayo Olukoshi, Chairman of the Electoral Forum, in his opening remarks, expressed optimism that the forum will achieve the objectives for which it was assembled.
Olukoshi, a professor at the Wits School of Governance said that the core aim of the forum is to improve the quality of national governance.
He said that elections play important roles in any democratic system of governance, adding that on a global scale, elections have been called into question especially in regards to its failure to make an effective connection with dividends of democracy.
According to him, elections and improvements in the socio-economic well-being of the citizenry are interconnected, hence should lead to better and improved livelihood for the electorates.
Catherine Angai, Program Coordinator, Democracy and Accountability at the Open Society Initiative for West Africa, OSIWA said its support for the forum is to prioritize evidence-based electoral reforms; seek out factors that impact electoral integrity, particularly in the area of administrative barrier with a focus on Electoral Management Bodies.
She said the forum has a research component that will critically analyze election management in Nigeria and develop publications that can support further research and advocacy efforts.
The Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege in his goodwill message, called for adequate electioneering culture from both the electorate and political class in Nigeria.
Senator Omo-Agege submitted that if other aspects of the electioneering process are defective, the electoral process itself will ultimately be flawed.
He stressed the need for all hands to be on deck in the ongoing electoral reform process.
Represented by his Special Adviser on Legal and Constitutional Matters, Dr. Daniel Bwala, the Delta Central lawmaker said, “A good electoral process can only be sustained if it is founded on an equally adequate electioneering culture. No matter how good the clauses are in our electoral laws, if the other aspects of the electioneering process are flawed, the electoral process itself will ultimately be flawed. This is to say that we need adequate and generally acceptable rules of engagement in the electioneering process. I refer to how candidates emerge on party platforms, campaign rally rules, and general political actions toward a fair and credible political participation by voters.
“I am glad for instance that the National Assembly is now dealing with the issue of direct or indirect primaries. The obvious preference for direct primaries, for example, would have a strong salutary consequence on the challenges of dealing with select delegates at primaries, which has been a sore point in our electioneering process.
“The ongoing electoral reform process is a responsibility of us all. Those of us lawmakers are representatives of various constituent groups including geographical, professional, organisational (such as yours), social, ethnic, religious, among others. Let us, therefore, join hands to work out an electoral system that does not only agree with global best practices but will make a stronger nation of our great country Nigeria”.
The electoral process, he stressed, is a central fabric of our journey in democracy, good governance and effective political participation, adding that this explains why it has occupied the front burner in all constitutional amendments since the first constitution of 1914.
According to him, there are three central dimensions to the electoral process namely: adequacy of the process; understanding the process, as well as acceptability and compliance.
He added: “For each of these dimensions your role is crucial. It would involve articulating what you see as global best practices, factor them into our history, culture and social structures, and then help fashion out what you consider in the best interest of Nigeria as a nation.
“While there have been many more issues in our electoral history, it seems to me that if we had had adequate clauses and unambiguity of same, plus adequate advocacy, understanding and will to comply, we would have had fewer controversies, fewer post-election court cases and generally, a more credible electoral process”.
Prof Jibril Ibrahim, a senior fellow at the Center for Democracy and Development, traced the electoral problems in the country to the character of the political class.
He noted that in most advanced countries, the most educated and the most read run their political system, adding that the Nigerian political class are less educated when compared to the average Nigerian.
He said: “Today, we have 18 political parties cut down from the 92 a year ago. Out of the 18 political parties, only PDP and APC matter, the others do not matter. The two political parties suck the oxygen in the political arena and the others can’t operate because they can’t compete”
He described the political oxygen as state power and money. “Those who don’t have such, give up on the struggle. Nigerians are smart and intelligent people. If they look at the political arena and see people with bad character, the easy approach is to get rid of those people and replace them with people who have good intentions for the public. Citizens don’t act like that because the political class are better organized than the citizens and have the resources to suck oxygen from the public”.
“Parties are real if they have members. Nigerian parties have never had members. When you have a long-established tradition that parties belong to certain people who own the party, that those people are patrons, and those patrons deliver who want to rule, then the people in the party have no say.
“Most of the problem in INEC is that most of the people in those parties have introduced a rule in the party’s constitution that they will be permanent chairman”
On his part, INEC chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmud represented by the National Commissioner of the commission, May Agamuche-Mbu commended The Electoral Hub for launching the forum.
He expressed optimism that the forum will provide solutions that entrench electoral integrity and credibility.
According to him, the launch will enrich public knowledge and understanding of the electoral process in Nigeria and serve as a good reference point for political parties, voters and the general public.
Dr Kole Shettima, African Director of the MacArthur Foundation said the forum is a good contribution to all the efforts for quality election.
According to him, the forum is an avenue to tap into the knowledge of former INEC staffers who are very knowledgeable practitioners.
He noted that tapping into the knowledge and experience of retired civil servants will improve the quality of the system.
Shettima further described the forum as a hybrid of practitioners and praised IRIAD for putting the event together.
Also speaking at the event, Professor Adele Jinadu of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, emphasised on the role of intellectuals in leadership positions, stressing that for the political space to make progress, that analysis of theoretical and empirical studies are needed.
He recalled that in ancient Yoruba culture, there are people called Ifa princes. He noted that the tradition of Ifa priests was thrown away by the Europeans, noting that Arab princes are still very active in the rulership of their society.
“The intellectuals are disorganized along ethnic and ideological lines. There should be unity among the intellectuals. Jibo made a good reference to the concept of the party. Parties exist in the ward level and built to state and national level. We must emphasise the role of intellectuals in political parties, and they must be policy-engaged.
“It is not just to change the legal framework of election but also the environment upon which elections take place. The Electoral Hub should rise up to the intellectual challenge and enhance the process. We should bring in people from outside and get a third force. Going back to the idea of grassroots politics, party membership is from the ward level. Where the ward level is powerful and does not abuse its powers, that’s how strong political parties are built”.
Professor Atahiru Jega, former INEC chairman called for the involvement of the intellectuals in governing processes. He also announced that he has joined a political party, the Peoples Redemption Party.
He said: “I did that because having carried out reflection after staying five years at INEC, I discovered that so many people do sit-down look. If we don’t get involved, the kind of politics we run in this country will run the country aground. We should inspire young people to pursue revolutionary ambitions. Nigerians have to pursue incremental positive change, go into organization and pursue balance of forces which are in the hands of bad people.
“The bad people dominate the parties without adding value to the process. To save Nigeria, you need good people in the system. Citizens can get involved. APC and PDP are dominated by selfish people. All political parties have their own weaknesses. The key challenges of the third force is the strive for power. People come into party and all they want is position. Many elites get into politics on the wrong premise. We need to get into politics with the aim of making the parties stronger”
