By OMORODION OMOREGIE

In what can only be described as a staggering display of defiance, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recently attempted to avoid being served with a Tribunal order aimed at preserving the integrity of election data. This order, directed at securing the BVAS machines used in the recent Edo State election, was issued by the Election Tribunal to ensure that vital evidence remains intact. INEC had initially accepted the order, made an e-copy, and sent it to their counsel. But in a move that has shocked legal experts and democracy advocates alike, INEC chose to backtrack, refusing to acknowledge the order, ostensibly on legal advice.

INEC?s defiant stance is a symptom of deep-seated electoral rot. Consider the implications: a supposedly neutral electoral body, entrusted with upholding the democratic process, working to elude a court directive to preserve crucial electoral data. This is more than bureaucratic evasion ? it is an outright disregard for transparency, accountability, and the law. Such a refusal raises serious questions: If INEC is unwilling to comply with a mere order to safeguard evidence, what can Nigerians expect when it comes to full transparency in the electoral process? This act of noncompliance is not just a procedural anomaly; it is an affront to every Nigerian?s right to a fair and transparent election.

Yet, this incident of blatant defiance is but one piece of a much larger, more insidious puzzle. Recent findings from the TAP Initiative for Citizens Development have exposed what appears to be a deeply entrenched pattern of manipulation within INEC.

Martin Obono, a human rights lawyer and Executive Director of the TAP Initiative, recently shared findings with Arise News that highlight severe electoral manipulation. Obono?s investigation, carried out with forensic precision, points to alleged instances where INEC replaced authentic polling unit results with fabricated ones. According to TAP, the altered results bore identical serial numbers to the originals yet recorded vastly different outcomes, creating a carefully orchestrated mirage of legitimacy.

TAP?s findings go further, uncovering alleged voter intimidation, vote-buying, and over-voting, which both INEC and security agencies are accused of ignoring. An international forensic expert was enlisted to analyze result sheets, and their conclusion is chilling: INEC officials may have coordinated these manipulations in a deliberate attempt to skew the election in favor of specific interests.

These findings are not mere allegations ? they constitute a systematic betrayal of the public trust.

Obono aptly described this as ?institutional rigging,? warning that if such practices continue unchecked, they could undermine the very foundations of Nigeria?s democracy.

The TAP revelations and INEC?s recent defiance of the Tribunal order collectively reveal a disturbing pattern. Together, they suggest an institution that is not merely negligent or incompetent but actively engaged in subverting the democratic process. What does it say about the state of our democracy when the very agency mandated to protect it is mired in allegations of fraud, evasion, and complicity? This is not merely an isolated case of administrative misconduct. It points to a systemic rot that threatens to erode public trust in our electoral process entirely.

We must ask ourselves: What is INEC worried about? Why would they resist a simple order to preserve BVAS data if they had nothing to hide or fear? And how can the Nigerian people trust the integrity of future elections if INEC appears to be operating with such a flagrant disregard for transparency and accountability?

This is a clarion call to Nigeria?s media and civil society. Silence in the face of such flagrant misconduct is complicity. It is incumbent upon every journalist, activist, and citizen and the public at large to demand answers. We cannot afford to ignore this scandal. INEC must be held to account not only for the obstructive conduct but also for the damning allegations of fraud exposed by TAP.

The Nigerian people deserve an electoral body that respects their mandate, not one that manipulates and evades accountability. We call on the media to shine a relentless light on INEC?s actions, both recent and historic. If Nigeria?s democracy is to endure, we must stand firm against these reprehensible practices and demand full transparency and accountability.

?Omoregie, an educationist and public affairs commentator, writes from Benin City.

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