We Must Win By Whatever Means Necessary”: Former INEC Boss Exposes Nigerian Politicians’ Dangerous Mindset
Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, has condemned the desperation of Nigerian politicians to undermine the integrity of the nation’s electoral process.
Speaking in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at the joint graduation ceremony of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies and the University of Benin, Jega warned that such a “do-or-die” attitude poses a threat to democratic development.
Jega lamented that the politicians’ attitude towards elections has eroded public trust in the Democratic process.
He pointed out that despite 25 years of uninterrupted democracy since 1999, Nigeria still struggles with electoral malpractice, violence, and widespread distrust in the electoral system.
He said, “When we see the desperation of these politicians, it is very clear, as former President Obasanjo said, that they engage with elections with a ‘do-or-die’ mentality. We must win by whatever means are necessary.”
“No elections are perfect and none are likely to ever be,” he admitted, stressing that electoral integrity “is relative and measured as a continuum from the extreme worst-case scenario to the ideal best-case scenario.”
Jega noted that Nigeria’s political landscape has for decades been tainted by the pursuit of power at all costs, adding that fixing the country’s electoral process would require “continuous concerted efforts”.
“The credibility of elections has a direct correlation with the quality of representation and governance,” he added.