Let’s take a walk through the history of election administration in Nigeria, dating back to the period before Nigeria’s independence.
Various electoral bodies have been formed since independence between the first to the fourth republic. The responsibility of each body has always been to register all eligible voters and political parties before the conduct of any election, as well as organize, conduct and supervise elections to all elective offices in the country, albeit in a free and fair manner.
The other responsibilities are to educate the electorates before the conduct of the election and delegate powers to all resident electoral commissioners among others.
In Nigeria, each republic came with a reformed electoral commission, headed by a chairman. Here are the various electoral bodies the country has had after independence:
Electoral Commission of Nigeria (ECN): Electoral Commission of Nigeria (ECN) was inaugurated in 1958 to conduct the 1959 federal elections.
Before 1958, regional laws and government regulated and conducted elections. ECN was headed by an expatriate Ronald Wraith and four Nigerian members representing each region and the Federal Capital Territory of Lagos.
Federal Electoral Commission (FEC): The Federal Electoral Commission (FEC), was established in 1960 and conducted the immediate post-independence federal and regional elections of 1964 and 1965. The Chairman was Chief Eyo Esua (1964–1966) in the first republic. The electoral body was dissolved after the military coup in 1966.
When General Obasanjo prepared for a return to civilian power in the Second Republic, he established a new Federal Electoral Commission headed by Chief Michael Ani to supervise the 1979 elections. Ani was succeeded by Justice Victor Ovie Whisky.
Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO): In 1978, the Federal Electoral Commission (FEDECO) was constituted by the regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo organizing the elections of 1979 which ushered in the Second Republic under the leadership of Alhaji Shehu Shagari. It also conducted the general elections of 1983.
National Electoral Commission of Nigeria: During Ibrahim Babangida’s regime, the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria was formed and headed at different times by Professor Eme Awa (1987–1989), Professor Humprey Nwosu (1989–1993), Professor Okon Uya and Chief Sumna Dagogo-Jack (1994–1998) under General Sami Abacha’s regime.
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC): In 1998, General Abdulsalam Abubabar’s Administration dissolved the National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (NECON) and established the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). INEC organized the transitional elections that ushered in the fourth republic on May 29, 1999. Justice Ephraim Akpata was the chairman.
After Akpata died in January 2000, the government of President Obasanjo appointed Abel Guobadia, as the Chief Electoral Officer. Guobadia was responsible for the 2003 elections, which were marred by widespread violence and other irregularities.
In June 2005, Guobadia retired and was succeeded by Professor Maurice Iwu. The conduct of the 2007 elections was again criticized as falling below acceptable democratic standards.
On 8 June 2010, Professor Attahiru Jega was nominated by President Goodluck Jonathan as the new INEC Chairman.
During the campaign for the 2015 general elections, Attahiru Jega “faced fierce criticism from both the opposition and the ruling party.
Attahiru Jega’s five-year term came to an end on June 30, 2015, and President Buhari appointed Professor Mahmood Yakubu as INEC Chairman, who took over from Amina Bala-Zakari who was the acting chairman after Jega the position.
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