Senator Ali Ndume, representing Southern Borno, has voiced serious concerns regarding the electoral process in Nigeria, claiming it is intentionally convoluted to facilitate manipulation.
His remarks were made during an interactive session with journalists in Kano on Sunday, following his participation in a Senate retreat focused on constitutional review.
“I support local government autonomy and the idea of INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) conducting local government polls. One issue being discussed in the National Assembly is the creation of a National Local Government Electoral Commission, and I am not in support of it,” Ndume stated.
He further questioned the necessity of establishing a new body to oversee elections every four years, asserting that the existing INEC is underutilized and fully capable of managing these responsibilities.
Ndume expressed frustration over the complexity of Nigeria’s electoral system, which he believes is designed to encourage manipulation.
“The elections in Nigeria are deliberately complicated to allow for manipulation. Why don’t we make laws that ensure the votes count? Why not enable citizens to elect someone from their phones? Why not allow INEC to monitor elections through technology and create a situation room?” he challenged. He pointed out that “Google can tell you your location in real time, so why can’t we leverage technology for our elections?”
The senator emphasized that the core issue with Nigeria’s electoral system lies in a “lack of sincerity, honesty, and fear of God” among political leaders. He believes that without addressing these fundamental flaws, any reforms will be ineffective.
Beyond the electoral landscape, Ndume tackled the pervasive corruption in Nigeria, lamenting that those who embezzle public funds often operate with impunity and are even celebrated.
“Our major challenge in this country is corruption. We have no proactive law to address it. In Nigeria, if someone who was poor last week suddenly buys ten cars and a jet, they are celebrated, and people say, ‘God has blessed our son.’ In developed countries, they ask how, when, and where the money came from,” he remarked.
He shared his frustrations about his efforts to pass a law aimed at tackling unexplained wealth in the National Assembly, a proposal that has consistently failed to gain traction.
“I even approached a former Head of State, hoping he could sign an executive bill on the issue. But to this day, there is no Unexplained Wealth Act or executive order addressing it in Nigeria,” Ndume concluded.
As discussions surrounding electoral reform and corruption continue, Ndume’s candid observations highlight the critical need for transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s governance.