Elections in Nigeria not completely decided by voters, things happen during collation – Tambuwal
The former governor of Sokoto State and ex-speaker of the house of representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, has said electoral outcomes in Nigeria are not solely determined by the will of the electorate.
Speaking on ‘Prime Time’, an Arise Television programme, the senator representing Sokoto south in the upper legislative chamber attributed the situation to systemic weaknesses, compromised officials, and politicians’ exploitation of existing loopholes in the electoral framework.
Tambuwal, while discussing challenges confronting the electoral process, said voters’ choices are often distorted at different stages, from polling units through collation centres up to the national level.
“It is not completely decided by the electorate. I can say that without mincing words. From polling units to wards, local governments, states and even at the national level, things happen that misrepresent what voters actually voted for,” he said.
“The system is compromised through INEC, the courts and the politicians because the politicians try to find corners to cut. So wherever there’s a loophole, politicians take advantage of that loophole.”
According to him, the problems arise from a mix of factors, including technological failures by the electoral umpire, delayed commencement of polls, and the failure to transmit results electronically.
“It is a combination of both. Politicians exploit loopholes wherever they exist. INEC also has challenges, from failure of technology, late commencement of elections, failure to transmit results, and compromise of officials,” he added.
The former governor said he strongly backs electoral reforms aimed at strengthening the process, including electronic transmission of results, even if such changes work against his personal political interests.
“I wholeheartedly support any reform that will improve the electoral process, including electronic transmission, even if I lose an election because of it,” Tambuwal said.
He also argued that most political parties in Nigeria function mainly as platforms for acquiring power, lacking clear ideological foundations.
“If it’s about ideology, what was President Muhammadu Buhari doing in the APC with some characters that we have in APC? I don’t want to mention names, but if you look at President Muhammadu Buhari then, the way he was perceived, what was he doing with some characters in politics?” he asked.