Adapted from RealNews

Dr. Chibuzo Okereke has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other critical stakeholders to guarantee free, fair, and credible elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking during the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Personality Interview Series in Abuja, Okereke stressed that absolute honesty and effective communication regarding electoral activities and technological infrastructure are imperative for maintaining public trust. He noted that the massive financial commitments made by the government, political parties, and candidates make flawed outcomes completely unacceptable.

“It will be painful not to get credible elections in return after huge expenses, and this kind of trend will not be fair to the Nigerian society,” Okereke stated.

A Whole-Society Approach to Electoral Integrity

While emphasizing that the core burden of delivering credible elections rests on INEC, Okereke cautioned against isolating the electoral umpire. He argued that the commission cannot succeed without collective backing from citizens, security agencies, political parties, and community leaders.

Key recommendations highlighted during the interview include:

• Radical Transparency: INEC must openly communicate infrastructural challenges—such as operational delays or logistical hurdles—rather than creating dangerous communication gaps that breed poor outcomes.

• Logistics and Field Welfare: Adequate logistics planning and proper welfare provisions must be prioritized for field workers to safeguard them from political manipulation and vulnerabilities.

• Confidence-Building Measures: Proactive steps must be taken to reassure citizens that their votes will count, protecting democratic institutions from public disparagement that drives voter apathy.

Assessing Leadership and the Appointment Framework

Addressing the leadership of the electoral body, Okereke urged Nigerians to give the new INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, the benefit of the doubt following his screening commitments at the Senate.

On the constitutional process for appointing top electoral officials, Okereke defended the existing framework, arguing that the executive nomination and legislative confirmation model places direct accountability on elected senators representing their respective constituencies. He maintained that system failures stem from implementation choices rather than the appointment structure itself.