NIGERIA 2023 ELECTIONS AND MASSIVE RIGGINGS REPORTED:
Dave Ikiedei Asei
28/02/2023
Elections in Nigeria have a history of being marred by irregularities, including allegations of vote rigging. There have been reports of vote buying, ballot box snatching, voter intimidation, and other forms of electoral fraud in the February 25th Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The Nigerian government has taken several steps to address these issues, including the establishment of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to oversee elections and the deployment of security forces to maintain law and order during elections. However, despite these efforts, there have been instances of election-related violence and fraud reported in many parts of the country.
There are allegations that the Chairman electoral umpire, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu has compromised to rig the election in Cavour if the ruling party, the APC. Before the general elections, hundreds of billions of Naira of tax payers money was used to procure biometric voter registration and electronic voting machines.
But reports from the election observers and party agents and the electorates have reported that the election umpire colluded with the ruling party to shut down the server that the BIVAS where supposed to transmit the results directly from the polling units just to use security operatives to harass, intimidate INEC adhoc staff and voters to manipulate votes in Favour of the ruling party, the APC.
Efforts to halt the declaration of such falsified election figures is yet to yield any positive and acceptable outcome by the people of Nigeria that exercised their franchise to vote in Favour of their preferred candidates.
Inspire of the fact that In recent years, there have been some improvements in Nigeria's electoral processes, with more transparent and credible elections being conducted. The use of technology, such as biometric voter registration and electronic voting machines, that should have made the electoral process acceptable were abandoned willfully just to make sure that the Chairman satisfies his pay masters.
Despite these positive developments, there is still much work to be done to ensure free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria. This requires sustained efforts to strengthen electoral institutions, enhance transparency and accountability, and promote civic education and engagement.
EXPECTED CONSEQUENCES OF ELECTION RIGGING:
The consequences of rigging an election can be significant and far-reaching. Rigged elections undermine the democratic process, erode public trust in government, and can lead to political instability and violence.
CONSEQUENCES OF CONDUCTING UNFAIR ELECTION:
IT UNDERMINES THE LEGITIMACY OF THE GOVERNMENT:
Rigged elections erode public trust in the electoral process and undermine the legitimacy of the government that emerges from it. This can lead to a loss of faith in democratic institutions and can make it more difficult for the government to govern effectively.
IT COULD LEAD TO POLITICAL INSTABILITY:
When elections are rigged, it can lead to political instability and unrest. This is because people feel that their voices have not been heard and that the election results do not reflect the will of the people. This can lead to protests, civil unrest, and even violence. In Nigeria. All the signs of the breakdown of law and order are displayed as the oppressed voters and political parties are getting ready for a show down.
This imminent breakdown of law and order in Nigeria could be avoided if INEC and the president of the country stops the process and make sure that the use if the BIVAS and electronic transfer of votes from the polling units is endured.
IT COULD CREATE A CULTURE OF CORRUPTION:
Election rigging is often carried out through corrupt practices such as vote buying, use of security operatives to hijack election materials and ballot stuffing. This can create a culture of corruption in which people believe that the only way to get ahead is to cheat.
IT CAN HARM ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY:
When elections are rigged, as in the case of Nigeria happening currently, it can lead to a lack of investment and economic development. This is because investors are wary of investing in countries that are politically unstable and where the rule of law is weak. Nigeria has witnessed so much of economic damage bad leadership has done to it in the last 8 years of the APC government under President Muhammadu Buhari. Over 5000 companies have allegedly relocated to other countries because of insurgency, insecurity and autocratic leadership.
IT COULD DAMAGE INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION:
Election rigging damages a country's international reputation and can lead to sanctions and isolation from the international community. This can harm diplomatic relations and have economic consequences. A,ready unfortunately Nigeria has a battered international image. So if this election goes the way it is going, then you can imaging the way it will be looked upon by the international community. Already local and international observers have condemned the process and completely flawed.
On the whole, election rigging undermines the foundations of democracy and harms the long-term interests of a country and its people. This shouldn’t be allowed to bring further hardship to the highly oppressed people of the country. Nigerians and the international communes should take steps to enforce the Chairman of the election umpire to continue to tow with the Nigerians.
CREDIBLY ISSUES WHEN W,ELECTIONS ARE RIGGED:
When elections are rigged, it creates credibility issues that can have far-reaching consequences. The credibility of an election is essential to the legitimacy of a government and the stability of a country's political system. Here are some of the credibility issues that arise when elections are rigged:
CREDIBILITY ISSUES TO BE FACED:
LACK OF TRUST:
Rigged elections erode public trust in the electoral process and the government that emerges from it. When people believe that their voices do not matter and that the election results are predetermined, they are less likely to participate in future elections or engage in the democratic process.
PERPETUATES CORRUPTION:
Election rigging is often carried out through corrupt practices such as vote buying and ballot stuffing. This creates a culture of corruption in which people believe that cheating is the norm, and the rule of law is weak.
HARMS DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS :
When elections are rigged, it harms the credibility of democratic institutions such as the electoral commission and the judiciary. This can make it more difficult for these institutions to function effectively, and the erosion of democratic institutions can lead to political instability and unrest.
IT CAN DAMAGE INTERNATIONAL REPUTATION:
Election rigging damages a country's international reputation and can lead to sanctions and isolation from the international community. This can harm diplomatic relations and have economic consequences.
RIGGING ELECTION INHIBITS DEVELOPMENT:
Rigged elections inhibit economic and social development. When the government is not seen as legitimate, it is less able to implement policies that promote development and attract investment.
In summary, election rigging has severe credibility issues that can undermine the legitimacy of the government and the stability of a country's political system. It is essential to ensure free, fair, and credible elections to maintain the trust of the people and promote democratic development
WHAT SHOUKD BE DONE ROMA BIASED ELECTION UMPIRE:
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is important to ensure that election umpires are unbiased and impartial in order to maintain the integrity of the electoral process and ensure that the will of the people is reflected in the results.
In a democratic society, it is the responsibility of election umpires to ensure that the election process is conducted fairly and transparently. To achieve this, election umpires should be appointed through a transparent and impartial process, and they should undergo training to ensure that they understand their role and responsibilities.
Election umpires should also be held accountable for any actions or decisions that are biased or unfair. This can be done through mechanisms such as oversight and review processes, or through legal and regulatory frameworks.
In summary, it is important to promote unbiased and impartial election umpires to uphold the integrity of the democratic process. Any actions that seek to bias or manipulate the election process are unethical and should be avoided
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