The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has admitted that Nigeria’s electoral process between 2015 and 2025 was plagued by recurring crises that consistently undermined the credibility of elections — despite years of reforms, innovation, and investment in technology.
In a revealing foreword to the Commission’s latest publication titled Election Management in Nigeria: 2015–2025, the immediate past INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, offered a frank assessment of a decade marked by legal chaos, political violence, and logistical paralysis.
“The 2015–2025 decade was not without its challenges. Conflicting court orders, violence targeted at our staff and facilities, the scourge of vote trading, and persistent logistics bottlenecks continued to test the credibility and smooth conduct of elections,” Yakubu stated.
He lamented that the commission was dragged into thousands of pre- and post-election court cases, often faced with contradictory rulings from courts of equal jurisdiction — a situation that not only stalled preparations but also eroded public trust in the system.
Beyond legal battles, Yakubu said the electoral body faced relentless violence from political actors and criminal elements. Dozens of INEC offices were burned down across the country, election officials were attacked, and sensitive materials were destroyed, sometimes days before scheduled polls.
Logistical setbacks also haunted the commission throughout the decade. From ballot shortages to failed transportation networks, and even last-minute postponements, Yakubu said these failures repeatedly raised questions about INEC’s readiness and operational capacity.
He further admitted that despite introducing technological reforms — including the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED), and the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) — the commission’s operations were still not immune to human error, sabotage, or network collapse.
While acknowledging that technology had improved transparency, Yakubu said it could not by itself cure systemic issues rooted in Nigeria’s political culture, weak institutions, and poor security environment.
“The commission must fully embrace both successes and failures. We must intensify confidence and trust-building measures, expand inclusivity, and remain proactive in addressing potential threats to our elections,” Yakubu warned.
He added that INEC had to double down on voter education, deepen collaboration with security agencies, and improve access for vulnerable groups to ensure that the democratic process remained inclusive and credible.
The 200-page book, richly illustrated with photographs and infographics, chronicles how Nigeria’s electoral history in the last decade was repeatedly shaken by court-induced confusion, logistics breakdowns, violence, and technical failures — but also by incremental improvements in transparency through technology.
Ultimately, Yakubu’s account serves as both a self-critique and a cautionary tale — one that underscores the fragile balance between progress and regression in Nigeria’s quest for credible elections.
