2019: Would you trust INEC with your vote?

S  AMUEL IRUSOTA
Constitutionally, INEC is a federal body. It is established by virtue of section 153 (1) of the Nigerian Constitution. Today, however, in a country where the appointment of personnel of INEC is made by the President, it is no longer independent. Despite the functions of INEC as provided in Section 15, Part 1 of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) and Section 2 of the Electoral Act 2010, it is so sad and unfortunate that most Nigerians have lost confidence in it. It is now tied to the apron strings of the Executive.

Jonathan, Atiku, Saraki to attend Ashiru’s campaign flag off in Kaduna

YUSUF BALOGUN

The question of trusting INEC with votes in 2019 is a double-edged sword that still leads to one track road. Until you have found a better angel, you must learn to co-exist with the despised devil. The argument is not if INEC is worth trusting with votes. The contest is INEC remains the end point, either way. Maybe, it all falls back to fair play on the side of the public voters—if we do not sell our future for rice, the electoral body would end up with tied hands. But what more do we say when the masses casting the stone are not much better? To trust INEC with your vote is to do what you expect of them. People get the kind of leader they deserve.

MAHI ADEDARE

The mission of INEC is to serve as an independent and effective body, committed to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections for sustainable democracy in Nigeria. The vision of INEC is to be one of the best Election Management Bodies (EMB) in the world that meets the aspirations of Nigerians. Why should we trust INEC with our votes? First, being politically apathy is ridiculous. It is one of the main problems many citizens need to evict. It is high time we Nigerians trusted INEC with ours votes. They oversee everything. With the power given to them, they have no other work than to secure our votes and make them count. We need to trust INEC with our votes for many reasons. One, our country needs a better candidate to rescue us from the present state of the country. This could be done only if we elect better and trustworthy candidates. When we fail to trust our votes with INEC, we are complicating the country’s problems. Two, election is important. To participate is what makes it more important. Three, we need to trust INEC because it is our right to trust them. With them, a better tomorrow lies ahead. By trusting INEC, we are building our nation.

AKIANDE OLASUNKANMI

Nigerians, myself inclusive, have every reason to trust INEC. As the name implies, the institution is an independent body believed to be free of any external forces. Although the commission is being funded by the government, that has little or no influence in executing their duties. An evidence to prove this is the 2015 general election where Nigerians witnessed the defeat of a sitting government to the opposition party. Nigerians have been sensitised, and INEC is aware of this. INEC, on its part, has been persuading patriotic Nigerians to register and collect their PVCs to make their votes count. The commission had done it before. I believe it could do it again in 2019.

OLANREWAJU MOSES

Trust comes with integrity, and INEC has not fared well in this regard. Sometime in June, I went to get my PVC in Ibadan and I was irritated. Apart from the favouritism that extended my registration till the third day, one old woman clearly in her sixties registered as a 25-year-old. Despite our outburst, the INEC officials present were indifferent about it. While I could only hope for a change, I cannot trust these same people with my vote.

JESAM EKO

Although there had been irregularities in the conduct of previous elections—such as late accreditation and failure of card readers as experienced in the 2015 general elections—I have confidence in the credibility of INEC led by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to deliver accurate and transparent results in 2019. Also, the accreditation of the media and every other person in the voting environment is a laudable development which would ensure security of voters and election materials.

FAMUWAGUN FESTUS

I would rather have stated, “Why we should not trust INEC with our votes”. Let me remind you that the power in control of government in 2015 is no longer the power we have in 2018. The hands that midwifed 2015 do not hold that position now. Unlike 2015, the kingdom of heaven in 2019 would suffer violence and the violent—as in the case of Osun—would take it by force. But, because in Nigeria, freedom of speech is assured while freedom after speech is not guaranteed, I have to say trust INEC because your faith may work wonders.

GRACE AYOOLA

I could trust INEC with my vote because it is the only body saddled with the responsibility of seeing to matters related to elections. It is like asking, “Why should I trust Nigerian media to give me objective stories? It is their duty. But then, some of INEC staff are not faithful to their call.  How I wish all staff of INEC could be trustworthy. That is why we have bad leaders. You could only win elections with money. Nigerians still have to cast their votes and be careful of their chosen leaders. INEC officials have their role to play by being honest. I should trust INEC with my vote because I do not have any other choice.

SOTIBI JOSHUA

In recent times, it seems our votes now count. That is why political parties have now turned to vote buying as an alternative to election rigging. INEC is not the problem anymore. Our votes now count. What should be curbed is vote buying, which is partially not the fault of INEC.  I observed the two recent elections in Ekiti and Osun states, and I noticed that votes counted. But, people sold their conscience.

IYIOLA YEMI

As the countdown to the 2019 general elections begins, it is the prior responsibility of every electorate to decide on whether to trust INEC with his/her votes or not. Before such could be done, one has to know what INEC had done to previous elections and give it suitable interpretations—the good and bad sides. Also, electorate should ensure they wait after casting their votes to know the number of votes recorded for each political party. This would make it difficult for results to be manipulated. But for me, before I could trust INEC with my vote, it must take urgent steps to end the political suspense that it has created in our polity through its thoughtless delay in collation and announcement of results like what happened during the last presidential election in 2015 and the last 2018 governorship election in Osun State.