Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, alleged that former President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts to leave behind electoral reforms as part of his legacy were obstructed by a cabal within his government.
Amaechi, speaking on Tuesday at the National Electoral Reforms Summit, emphasized that any electoral reform not driven by citizens is a mere ruse.
“Most Nigerians who speak about electoral reform depend on where their stomach is facing,” he said.
The former minister further disclosed that those who blocked Buhari from implementing his proposed reforms are currently in government.
“If their stomach is facing the wrong place, they will want electoral reform. If they are benefiting, they will say it is wrong to eat and talk,” he stated.
Amaechi stressed that electoral reform depends not just on voting during elections but also on the determination of the electorate to stop election malpractices.
“If citizens come out en masse, nobody can manipulate results or take away result sheets, because anyone who does that will create confusion for themselves,” he added.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, were among personalities expected at the summit, organized by the Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) to push for constitutional amendments. Amaechi, who was a keynote speaker, expressed disappointment at their absence.
He noted that resolutions from the summit would be meaningless unless reforms originate from the people.
“What will matter is when all citizens gather and say, enough is enough,” he said. “If you don’t hold politicians accountable, they will continue to steal. The system protects those in government who are stealing, while targeting those who are not aligned with the government. Citizens’ action is therefore necessary.”
Amaechi also criticized organized labor groups, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), accusing them of being co-opted to work in favor of the government.
Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, highlighted that credible elections are the backbone of democracy. She regretted that since 1999, Nigeria has been practicing a flawed form of democracy, noting that economists in London have reported that the nation fails to meet global democratic indicators.
Ezekwesili advocated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be granted prosecutorial powers to prosecute election offenders. Currently, she said, INEC relies on the police and the attorney general for prosecution, which leads to delayed or ineffective enforcement.
“The absence of credible investigation and conviction for electoral offenses has created a system with no deterrence for bad behavior. Granting INEC its own prosecutorial unit or guaranteed access to dedicated prosecutors would ensure timely action against electoral violations,” she urged.
