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The Governor of Anambra State and former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, has raised concerns over a proposed amendment by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking to restrict its authority to review election outcomes.
He cautioned that such a move could weaken efforts aimed at curbing electoral impunity.
In a virtual message delivered at the Athena Centre’s Review of INEC’s Innovation in Electoral Technology (2015–2025), Soludo praised the commission’s technological advancements but expressed serious concern over the proposed modification to Section 64 of the Electoral Act.
Under the existing legislation, INEC holds the power to review any results that are announced under duress or in violation of the Electoral Act and INEC’s guidelines.
However, Soludo observed that the commission is allegedly seeking to limit this power strictly to instances where results were declared under duress.
He asked, “How problematic is that, given that Nigerians have been calling for that proposal to address impunity on the part of the politicians to undermine the electoral process?”
He questioned the motive behind INEC's push to amend the law in a way that restricts its ability to review election outcomes—especially when officials have been known to announce results in clear defiance of existing regulations.
“When we have seen where collation officers declared and announced results in contravention of the guidelines, it seems perverse to try and protect election officials when they violate the law,” he stated.
The former CBN governor acknowledged that broadening the scope of the review process might overburden INEC with responsibilities that rightly belong to the courts. This, he said, could force the commission to “do the job of the courts”.
Despite this concern, Soludo insisted that the process for reviewing election results should be robust and should include mechanisms to hold erring INEC officials accountable.
He strongly advocated for legal provisions to ensure that any INEC staff member who signs off on manipulated collation results in defiance of the commission’s rules faces prosecution and imprisonment.
He said, “Until we jail one, two, three, four faulty prosecutors, there are still enough people in this country who care for their name and who don’t want to go to jail, whatever the amount of money they have to give to combat the process.”
Soludo expressed frustration with the current system, where corrupt electoral officials are often seen as “experts” capable of manipulating results in one region and then redeployed to do the same elsewhere.
He noted that this systemic practice is “where the problem is”.
He associated this issue with the need for total transparency in the electoral process, emphasising that all aspects of the process should be visible to the public.
The Governor shared his vision of an ideal electoral system—one in which candidates do not need to be acquainted with INEC personnel or security operatives to win an election.
He said, “The results are declared, and they win if the people want them to win,” presenting this as the ideal goal for Nigeria’s electoral transformation.
To bring this vision to reality, Soludo emphasised the need for political parties to be “eternally vigilant”. He referred to a recent by-election in which party agents prevented the deployment of pre-marked ballot papers at a polling station.
He further suggested a comprehensive review of the role of security agents during elections, reiterating his belief in an electoral process that does not depend on familiarity with election officials or law enforcement.
While warning against framing the narrative in absolute terms of “all bad” or “all good”, he recognised that Nigeria has made significant strides.
He cited the example of former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, who supervised an election in which the incumbent administration that appointed him lost and willingly handed over power.
He said, “We’ve seen the good and the bad. We’ve seen places where even those who appointed lost woefully,” urging the need to assess both progress and setbacks in their proper context.
Nonetheless, Soludo encouraged stakeholders to focus on continuous, steady reform, stating, “It’s a work in progress.
“We can make much, much, much more progress and faster as well. But let’s not forget where we are coming from and where we need to go.”
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