INEC Lacks Courage to Check State Interference, Says Situation Room

The Civil Society Situation Room, an election observation group,
has expressed worry over what it described as increasing inability
of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to stand up
against interference from partisan state powers and interests.

The group, which has monitored many elections conducted in the
country, said the commission could not check the excesses of state
interest that seek to manipulate elections using security agents,
including the military.

The Convener of the Situation Room and Executive Director of the
Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Mr. Clement Nwankwo, spoke
on the group’s assessment of the current challenges facing the
electoral system in an exclusive interview with THISDAY, not
Nairalaw

Nwankwo said INEC needed to strengthen its resolve to deal
decisively with anyone trying to undermine the credibility of
election.

He said the group viewed the behaviour of political parties,
especially the lack of internal democracy in their primaries and
violent conduct during elections, as a major source of concern.

Speaking on some of the challenges INEC faces in its efforts to
conduct peaceful and credible elections, Nwankwo said there were
occasions where the partisan interest of the incumbent would clash
with that of the constitutional role of INEC to ensure free and
transparent elections.

He also said there were instances where some security agents who
abandoned their responsibility to maintain peace, started helping
political thugs to undermine the electoral process, stressing that
it would require a strong and courageous electoral umpire to check
these excesses.

“So, that’s where I think we have a constant issue with INEC
with its failing to stand up to challenge efforts of agencies of
state to manipulate elections and as long as it continues to be
unable to stand up and say to such agencies ‘keep away from
elections’ for so long will it take responsibility for the failings
of an election,” he said.

According to him, INEC as an independent commission ought to
have a firm control of the electoral processes, including assigning
roles to security agents on election duty to ensure that no
unfortunate incident that always cast shades on the elections
occurs.

“We have always said to INEC; take control of your elections!
The elections are yours, you are not just the number one
stakeholder but also the critical stakeholder, the deciding
stakeholder and you give responsibilities to the agencies of states
which are supporting you conduct elections. When agencies of states
become tools in the hands of partisan incumbent’s political
interest you must act in the best interest of the country to give
your election credibility.

We worry that INEC continues to fail to stand up to check the
excesses of state interest that manipulate elections including
security, including the military. When you find the security are
running circles around you; the military is running circles around
you and trying to discredit an election that you have invested so
much resources and your credibility in then you must pull back and
say to this agency ‘get off’ and when they refuse you insist on not
going on with the elections.

“So, INEC must stand up. Of course, there are issues of rogue
INEC officials and security agencies running off on their own to
help to frustrate the electoral process but the bigger issue is
that of the leadership of the commission taking responsibility and
saying ‘we can’t allow security agencies, we can’t allow police to
team up with political parties and subvert the will of the people.’
So, as long as INEC fail to stand up to push back on this agencies
for so long we will insist that it has responsibility for failing
with election”.

Speaking on the actions of political parties, which often led to
disruptions and undermining of elections, Nwankwo said the group
had noticed an ugly trend where the incumbent tried to manipulate
the primary elections to favour his preferred candidate.
On whether more amendment is needed to strenghten INEC, Nwankwo
said laws alone could not solve the problem but that the human
element was at the heart of it all.