By Oluwasore Alabi
The Independent National Electoral Commission has provided guarantees to the people that the Anambra State governorship election on November 8 will run smoothly, despite it recognizing network issues encountered in 12 polling centers under a mock accreditation exercise. The Commission guaranteed that it has sent over 24,000 staff and arranged logistics like buses and boats while extending Permanent Voter Card collection to November 2.
This reassurance again comes at a time that the public trust in Nigeria’s electoral process is already very weak. Nigerians have seen elections postponed, delayed, rigged, and disputed for decades. So when INEC assures that a glitch is minor, many do not just take their word for it. BVAS was also brought in to stop rigging and ghost voting, but network hitches can nullify the very essence if not addressed.
The Commission is arguing that arrangements have been put in place, but voters are not interested in logistics. Voters want credibility and openness. Elections are not just about timely transportation of materials, they are about whether or not results actually represent the will of the people. If BVAS collapses in some units, it leaves room for suspicion and manipulation. Nigeria is well familiar with this.
Security personnel have pledged massive deployment to prevent violence. Yet, in the majority of areas in the nation, elections still suffer from intimidation, suppression of voter turnout, and clashes between supporters of competing politics. Politicians were cautioned against calling for violence by the government, but the warnings are not enough. Nigerians have heard official warnings for decades as violence continues.
INEC also admitted that not more than 63 percent of Anambra registered voters have collected their PVCs. That leaves over one third of the eligible voters out of the election unless there is coercion. Extending the deadline is not enough if the citizens are unable to get to the collection centers safely or if they are not properly sensitized on the extension.
The election is not merely the selection of a governor. It is the test of whether or not the electoral process in Nigeria can improve. A credible, well-run election would rebuild confidence. A troubled one would aggravate frustration and civic disconnection.
BVAS can strengthen democracy if it performs its role. However, technology alone cannot heal the system. It must be done in good faith, in a just manner, and with accountability from the Commission, politicians, security forces, and the voters.
If INEC really desires that the election be smooth, then it must do more than just talk. It has to demonstrate by action that all votes will indeed count and all voters will be guaranteed security. Nigerians have been promised so many things before. What they require now is performance.
