… Even As TUC Advocates A Living Wage To Check Electoral Fraud
Nigerians have been urged to always examine the roles played by every stakeholder in the electoral processes in Nigeria, with a view to do a proper assessment on a better way forward instead of heaping the entire blame on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Executive Director, International Press Centre, Lagos, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, stated this in his opening remarks at a one day Multi-stakeholders’ Dialogue On Rebuilding Trust In The Electoral Process And Elections, held yesterday in Calabar.
This is coming on the heels of a renewed call by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) for the implementation of a living wage for Nigerian workers in order to curb electoral fraud in the country.
National Compass reports that the dialogue was organized by the IPC in collaboration with the EU-Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDG II) Component 4: Support to Media.
According to Arogundade, the event was initiated following some crucial matters that arose after the last general elections in Nigeria.
He said the dialogue will afford participants an ample opportunity to reflect on the outcomes of the elections even as INEC set to rebuild the needed trust in the system.
However, he was of the opinion that every setback recorded in the electioneering processes should be a shared responsibility among all the stakeholders involved in the electoral exercise.
Arogundade argued that even though INEC is the electoral empire, in an attempt to examine the trust element in Nigeria’s electoral system, the interest should not be limited to her alone, but must be all encompassing; involving other critical stakeholders as well.
“As we have always explained, some crucial matters that arose after the last general elections informed our decision to undertake this journey under the auspices of Component 4: Support to Media of the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGNII) project of which IPC is the lead partner.
“In examining the trust element in the Nation’s electoral processes and elections however, IPC is equally of the opinion that the searchlight should focus on as many critical actors as possible and not just INEC, much as the election management body is the chief accounting officer when it comes to the administration of elections. It is not for nothing that the Yoruba people of South-west Nigeria have a proverb that says that a single hand cannot successfully lift a load unto the head. We have therefore been purposive in describing this initiative as a “Multi-stakeholder Dialogue on Rebuilding Trust in Electoral Processes, Institutions, and Elections”, the IPC director stated in part.
Speaking further, Arogundade, a former chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos state council, said rather than being vilified, INEC should rather be commended for the introduction of some innovations including the use of BVAS in the last general elections in order to ensure credibility in the system.
Meanwhile, the TUC at the event expressed optimism that if a living wage is approved for Nigerian workers it will go a long way to checkmate electoral fraud in Nigeria.
Speaking as a key contributor at the forum, the TUC chairman in Cross River state, Mr. Monday Ogbodum, said the poor remuneration of an average Nigerian worker to an extent also precipitate electoral fraud in the system, adding that a good welfare package will deter Nigerians from possible compromise during elections.
Ogbodum noted that there were always a correlation of every fraud in the processes with the economic wellbeing of Nigerians at every given time, as represented by the public service.
Represented by the union’s secretary, Mr. Ken Bassey, he said “The government should give Nigerian workers a living wage and that will no doubt, to an extent help to address electoral fraud in Nigeria.
“Every Nigerian worker have at least four to five dependents behind him or her. So, why are we here? When the Nigerian worker is well remunerated, we believe; it is our believe that electoral fraud will be reduced to the barest minimum.”
The labour activist, who emphasized the need for an effective database in Nigeria’s electoral system, charged INEC to leverage on the electoral law to punish every electoral offender in order to serve as a deterrent to others as well as restore the required trust in the system among Nigerians.
In his presentation, lead presenter at the forum, Prof Takim Ojua, said Nigerians expect more from INEC beyond the responsibility of conducting elections periodically, adding that the credibility of every election is as important as every exercise undertaken.
He, however, noted that many factors come into play in every electioneering exercise with all the blame eventually shifted to INEC due to her central role as an empire.
“The responsibility of INEC is not limited to only conducting elections, but to ensure its credibility. When elections are conducted, INEC is always a rallying point, hence, the shifting of blames on her”, he partly said.
According to Ojua, who is the director, Centre for General Studies in the University of Calabar, so much was expected of INEC in order to rebuild her confidence among the electorate.
He commended the electoral empire for all the innovations including the use of card readers and BVAS in the last general elections in Nigeria, noting that there was room for improvement in the forthcoming off circle elections in both Edo and Ondo states.
The event, which was chaired by a former member of Cross River state House of assembly, Hon. Itam Abang, also had in attendance the Chief Technical adviser to INEC chairman, Prof Bolade Eyinla, a representative of the police, both media and legal practitioners among others.
