Human rights activist and politician, Omoyele Sowore, has slammed the state of electoral reforms under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Speaking during Lunchtime Politics on Channels TV on Wednesday, Sowore expressed skepticism about the intentions of those in power to genuinely reform the electoral system, arguing that their actions suggest otherwise.
According to the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), expecting the current administration to spearhead credible electoral reforms is futile.
“We are expecting the people who want to benefit from this electoral maleficence to reform the process. It’s not going to happen,” he said.
He accused the government of stacking the odds in its favor by appointing individuals loyal to its party into critical institutions such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the judiciary.
Sowore alleged, “They’ve already populated INEC with APC card-carrying members. They’ve already appointed 11 Supreme Court justices under the Tinubu regime. I have evidence of that. You may claim that they are qualified to be elevated, but most Nigerians don’t know all these things.”
Alleged flaws in the off-season elections in five states
Sowore pointed to recent off-season elections in five as evidence of the current administration’s manipulation of the electoral system.
“They have kept INEC under their own control. If you want to know, just check the off-season election they did recently and how they went,” he said.
Under the administration of President Tinubu, five states – Imo, Kogi, Bayelsa, Ondo, and Edo have held off-season gubernatorial elections.
Time to fight is before elections
Sowore urged Nigerians to demand reforms before elections are conducted, arguing that post-election protests or monitoring efforts are largely ineffective. “The best time to fight is before elections because it will force the hands of the state and the operators in that electoral system about what you want to see in an election,” he said.
He warned against waiting until after the elections to challenge irregularities, saying, “If the next time we see you is after the election and you say, ‘Well, you’re keeping an eye on the judiciary,’ sorry for your eyes because you’re looking directly in the sun. You might end up with conjunctivitis.”
He criticized the complacency of those who believe meaningful reforms will emerge from the same individuals benefiting from the current flawed system.
In a satirical tone, Sowore noted, “If anybody is out there expecting to see a different electoral reform process, well, I have a bridge to sell to you in my village.”
