By IKEDDY ISIGUZO

HOW times will we amend Nigeria?s Electoral Act? What results did earlier amendments produce? Are there ways that the amendments have improved the organisation of our elections?

Do people believe that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, can ever deliver a free and fair election?

Is an election free and fair only when certain people win? Are adequate provisions made for free and fair elections?

Are free and fair elections possible in Nigeria? Do Nigerians want free and fair elections? Or do we prefer victory of a candidate we support whether the elections are free and fair?

The questions keep pouring in, creating the impressions that free and fair elections are unattainable in Nigeria.

As each general election draws close, it is obvious that the laws with which the previous election were organised are outdated and incapable of enhancing elections that are transparent and can pass tests of accountable.

The Electoral Act does not regulate the business side of elections. Elections are huge businesses with many criminal values chains that the nature of our elections facilitates.

Power is at stake. Power to do almost anything one wants are for sale at elections. The importance of power makes desperate people willing to do anything to grab power.

Skills for illegal acquisition of power through elections lie with a professional pool of criminals who subvert electoral laws. Working together across party lines, they easily spot gaps in INEC and use them to reduce elections to charades.

They are be found in party officials who are alleged to sell fake party forms to candidates they want to deny the opportunity to contest.

Consultants of all shades skew laws to favour their clients. From outright bribery to delaying arrival of materials in areas where their candidates have poor chances, compromised security, changing figures to snatching ballot boxes, everything is game.

These criminal consultants create ?value chains? from the electoral processes that fan billions of Naira into their pockets each election season. They have acquired competences that are taught only in the underworld.

Resources available to them match their determinations to deliver for their clients. They have enough resources to co-opt security to their enterprise.

Their lawlessness is law during elections. They have become so established they no longer operate stealthily. They could choose to arrive with all the paraphernalia of office of their clients.

What worsens matters is that INEC officials whose decisions are crucial to the Electoral Act working ? no matter how well written and specific laws are ? still fall short, and these officials are not held accountable for their deeds.

Logistics, computer glitches, late arrival of electoral materials, rigging are accommodated as if they have no consequences for Nigeria?s survival.

Part of the proposed amendments to strengthen the Electoral Act is ?to shift the burden of proof to INEC in election petition cases?. Senator Henry Seriake Dickson in proposing it explained that INEC played such a big part in the planning and execution of elections, had control of the human and materials resources used in elections, that INEC should be proving if election results were authentic or rigged.

This, Senator Dickson said, should be different from normal criminal cases where he who makes allegations bears the burden of proof.

Burdens our election processes bear issue from different sources. No law can redeem the situation which accounts for the failure of past amendments to produce the expected results. Would 2027 be different?

Laws have expectedly failed us. The human beings who implement these law work for their benefits and for their recruiters who are averse to free and fair elections.

We, the peoples of Nigeria, are the ones to stand for values that can rescue our country. Our politicians need to be amended, not just the law. Stiffer penalties, including long jail terms, without options of fine or amnesty should be the sanctions for riggers and those who engage them.

And our judges, journalists, have to provide leadership and be impartial in providing directions to get Nigeria out of the present quagmire that built up over the years. Many

Individuals hardly see why they should place Nigeria ahead of personal enterprise, entitlement, and entertainment.

The few with moral standing to amend those whose convictions take us through constant electoral law reviews, must stand firm and lead Nigerians to more understanding that Nigeria?s future should be built on laws inclined to justice, sustenance of order, and dependence on structures that punish lawlessness in all forms.

We are running low on men and women with principles and values to support law and order in our society.

Our ethical and moral thresholds must be stronger, as individuals, as groups, if we are to use laws for the good of Nigeria.

Finally?

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu does not need a reason to change Service Chiefs. His reasons for replacing them appears to suggest he sacked them when it pleased him. ?I have approved changes in the hierarchy of our Armed Forces to further strengthen Nigeria?s national security architecture. I charge the new Service Chiefs to deepen professionalism, vigilance, and unity within our Armed Forces as they serve our nation with honour,? Tinubu wrote on his X page on Friday.

SPATES of demolition of property in Lagos and Abuja without reprieve for their owners, some of who have official documents that indicate their building plans and land use were all approved. What is the punishment for those who issue ?wrong? approvals?, diligently? Why do other approving authorities wait for buildings to be completed before they are declared ?illegal structures?.

SINCE there are already endorsements for President Tinubu to run for a second term in 2007 and since the President has not shown a disclination to run, do we start screening the candidate? Suppose we start pre-screening in 2025 to save ourselves troubles? NYSC discharge certificates have become constant challenges for some after Minister of Science and Innovation Mr. Uche Nnaji resigned over an alleged fake first degree certificate and NYSC certificate. Was Tinubu exempted from NYSC? A consistent birth year of his is 1952. By 1979 when Tinubu graduated from Chicago State, on the Dean?s List, he was 27. He was within the age range for mobilisation. Only those above 30 on their graduation were granted exemption. Has anyone seen Tinubu?s NYSC certificate? We can answer that question now.

WHAT are Vice-President Kashim Shettima?s offences that the regular news about him these days is that he would not be Tinubu?s running mate in 2027? Shettima bears the speculation with philosophical equanimity.

THE 2027 elections are not too far off if suggestions that the elections hold in November 2026 pass. The major reason for earlier elections is to allow all electoral disputes to be resolved before winners are sworn in.

?ISIGUZO is a major commentator on minor issues.

Update news