Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for a leadership overhaul at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore credibility and curb corruption in Nigeria’s electoral system. Speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University, he labeled the 2023 elections a “travesty” and proposed appointing leaders with shorter tenures and rigorous vetting to remove partisan influences. Obasanjo emphasized the need for impartial INEC officials and suggested implementing measures to safeguard the electoral process from political interference.
Obasanjo highlighted the importance of transparency and accountability in the electoral system, especially regarding campaign financing and technological infrastructure. He criticized INEC for failing to use the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) and the election viewing portal (IReV) during the 2023 elections, which he argued compromised the integrity of the results. According to him, these technologies are essential for ensuring a fair process and building public trust, but their neglect led to irregularities.
The former president’s speech underscored the urgency of electoral reform as essential to preserving Nigeria’s democratic integrity. He urged immediate steps to implement a transparent, independent INEC leadership structure at all levels, from federal to local, to eliminate corruption and restore faith in the electoral system. His remarks point to electoral reform as a cornerstone for a stable democracy in Nigeria.