2027: Rivers Lawyers Task INEC On Free, Fair Elections

As preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum, legal practitioners in Rivers State have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to strengthen its independence by ensuring a free, fair and credible elections.

The lawyers, who spoke in separate interviews with The Tide in Port Harcourt, also called for equal treatment for all political parties, especially, in Rivers State.

The legal practitioners raised  concerns ahead of the elections, highlighting issues including INEC’s independence, equal treatment for political parties, compliance with electoral laws, the use of technology and voters’ confidence in the electoral process.

One of the lawyers, Waribere Sowunmi, expressed strong doubts about INEC’s ability to conduct a free and fair election, saying, “INEC in this country cannot conduct a free and fair election. It’s not possible.”

Sowunmi said INEC was expected to be independent in the discharge of its duties but expressed concern about whether the Commission would maintain that independence during the election.

“INEC, in the real sense, ought to be independent, as the name applies. But I’m afraid whether they can be independent in the forthcoming election,” he said.

According to him, the lack of confidence in the electoral process has also affected voters’ interest in elections.

“Voters have lost interest in the system because nothing is happening. They are not interested in the system because the system itself is not helping,” he said.

Another, Carol Oluchukwu, also expressed concern about the credibility of the electoral process, owing to what she described as corruption within the system.

Her words: “Oh, still corruption. It is still corruption.”

Oluchukwu alleged that some election results had been manipulated and Nigerians often do not get results that reflect how they voted.

“But the votes in Nigeria don’t count. You can bear me witness, citizens will vote, INEC will do what they want to do. You understand? So, what we are getting is not exactly what we voted,” she said.

She, however, urged Nigerians not to give up on the electoral process, advising voters to still come out and exercise their franchise.

For Nathaniel Alasea, the major issue is not the absence of electoral laws but their implementation.

“Obey the law, execute and implement the law as it is,” Alasea said.

He urged the electoral authority to apply the law without favour and called on political parties to participate in the process despite possible threats or intimidation.

Also responding, Anslem E.K. said INEC must remain impartial and provide a level playing field for all political parties participating in the elections.

“My expectation would be that INEC, as the name goes, should be impartial in whatever thing they do and should try as much as possible to have a level playing ground for all parties,” he said.

He also called for the effective use of technology in the electoral process, stressing that election results should be declared in real time.

“We should start by making sure that all the apparatuses we are going to deploy will all function optimally and results will be declared real time,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chris Alele called for greater use of technology in the transmission of election results, saying it could help improve public confidence in the electoral process.

Alele said “real-time electronic transmission of results would increase public confidence and reduce fears of electoral manipulation.”

He referred to the Nigerian Bar Association’s online voting system as an example, explaining that voters can see results as they are generated. He said a similar level of transparency in the electoral process could help Nigerians have greater confidence that their votes have been properly counted.

However, he expressed concern about possible network failures and the consequences for electronic transmission of results. He therefore urged INEC to strengthen its technological systems to ensure that results are transmitted electronically and promptly.

Alele also called for greater voter education and the timely distribution of election materials, noting that delays could result in different polling units starting the voting process at different times.

On his part, Sonny Batta likened INEC’s role to that of a referee, saying, “It should not be that when they come to me, they shift the posts. It’s as though they are shifting the posts, as if the referee now will come and play in the pitch.”

Batta stressed that the electoral umpire must remain neutral and ensure that no candidate or political party is given an unfair advantage.

With concerns over independence, transparency, technology and public confidence remaining prominent, the lawyers said the credibility of the 2027 presidential election would depend largely on INEC’s ability to apply the electoral laws fairly and ensure that the votes of Nigerians are properly counted and reflected in the final results.

Adeniyi Victoria,/ Leyira Majesty/Godslove Justice