VOTING IN 2023: SAFETY AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Aisha Shuaibu urges the electorate to vote right

There is a compelling project by Nigerian filmmaker, Nadine Ibrahim called “I Am Not Corrupt” that I feel every Nigerian, especially our leaders in government must see. The introspective 90 minutes short film displays a powerful debate between a politician and a market woman, pointing fingers of blame at each other for the other person’s problems, while also making valid points that implicate both sides. The message I took away from I Am Not Corrupt is that in doing absolutely nothing but playing the blame game, we fail to hold ourselves accountable, thereby indirectly aiding and abetting the bigger problem. With the 2023 elections in view, I examine accountably as a needed practice that must be adopted by the electorate, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and all national stakeholders in order to ensure an orderly, safe and fair general elections.

Although historically, elections in Nigeria have been known to be chaotic, and in many cases violent, it is the civic duty of all Nigerians to participate in them, INEC to register and sensitize eligible voters on the electoral process, and the security agencies to ensure that our fundamental human rights are protected. The 1964, 1983, 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections are known to have reported serious injuries, damage to election materials and even the loss of lives. We are at risk of a low voter turnout in 2023 due to the fear Nigerians have for their safety at polling units and possible disruptions by rowdy people with ill-intent.

Disturbing videos of a polling unit being attacked in April showed ad-hoc INEC staff in Imo State being shot at and some were even killed while voting registration was taking place. More reports out of Igboeze, a local government area of Enugu State where repeated attacks on INEC officials in July were made that led to the destruction of ballot boxes, voting cubicles and office equipment. It is quite surprising that although sections 114 – 129 of the newly amended Electoral Act gives clear and detailed implications of electoral offences, yet not a single arrest has been made amidst all of these worrying reports.

We must demand from party members, security agencies, foreign observers and other stakeholders as well as from each other that cherry-picking electoral laws to comply with will not only be wrong but punishable. Perhaps by adopting a see something, say something approach throughout the election process, we are likely to effectively monitor the nation, making it easier to diffuse possible disruptions and hold people accountable. Despite all of the INEC and accredited observers’ efforts to manage the weight of responsibilities during the elections, it is unrealistic to expect a hitch-free process unless the Nigerian people commit to the orderliness and stability at polling units by being responsible. As INEC is aware of the right of every registered Nigerian’s vote to count, excessive force or a rushed process should not be enabled by voters as this could easily escalate into a dangerous situation.It is important to note that under the leadership of the INEC Commissioner, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, there has been an improvement in the promotion of democratic governance through the introduction of innovative technologies such as the Bimodal Verification Accreditation System (BVAS) in 2021 to replace smart card readers. This technology proved successful during the primary elections and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) that they have made easily accessible through the commission’s website, which will help to achieve a transparent voting process.

This upgrade of electoral equipment will surely improve the capacity of INEC to prevent inconsistencies, strengthen election management, build the trust of the people and enable a credible data collection process. The amended Electoral Act has also made for the legal allowance of the use of card readers in parts of the country that experience communication setbacks, to prevent voting hindrances for those areas. It is safe to say that INEC continues to make progressive strides in avoiding technical flaws that has been seen in former elections.

As INEC prepares to disperse millions of voter cards across the country, we cannot ignore possible socio-economic conditions that may prevent certain demographics from participating or experiencing a seamless voting process. Female voters for instance are faced with domestic responsibilities, childcare, maternal health, and sexual harassment among other things that may affect their turnout at polling units. The tediousness of voting experiences may be another discouraging factor that could intimidate women causing them to either turn away from their polling unit or grow tired of the process and give up. One of the ways of curbing these issues is to increase the presence of female staff from INEC or among accredited electoral observers, who can provide support and ease the experience of female voters.

Weather conditions have been known to be an inevitable factor also contributing to the voting process where harsher weather conditions such as extreme heat, dust or rain could set back the process, causing discomfort, impatience and frustration among voters. Nigerians must consider all possible scenarios that may discourage their participation but as registered voters, we should do our best to choose the best candidates for the job and exercise our right to choose by having a hand in who power goes to.