Daud Olatunji
Political economist and former presidential candidate, Prof. Pat Utomi, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a free, fair and credible general election in 2027, insisting that Nigerians deserve an electoral process that reflects the genuine will of the people.
Utomi, who spoke in an interview with Vanguard in Owerri, alleged that elections conducted in Nigeria since the return to democratic rule in 1999 had been largely flawed, with varying degrees of irregularities.
According to him, the country’s electoral process has deteriorated instead of improving despite advances in technology.
“Nothing will gladden Nigerian citizens more than a free, fair and credible election in 2027,” he said.
Utomi stated that while some elections were better than others, none could be described as completely free, fair or credible.
“Every election in Nigeria since 1999 has been largely flawed. I was closely connected to the system to know that much.
“However, the degrees are varied. Some were better than others. When we thought we should be making progress, it became worse,” he said.
The professor described the 2023 general election as “a national disaster,” accusing INEC of failing to fully deploy its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) as expected.
He cited the controversy surrounding the handling of election results in Rivers State, alleging that the outcome declared did not reflect the votes cast.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission does not have the courage, till today, to upload results on its IReV, like what happened in Rivers State.
“That was where one candidate had a clean sweep, probably 90 per cent of the votes cast there, and it was completely turned on its head,” he alleged.
Utomi further decried the prevalence of electoral violence, voter intimidation and vote-buying, describing them as practices that had undermined public confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.
“The introduction of violence, voter intimidation, vote-buying and all such other damnable acts have made elections a huge joke in Nigeria. INEC should save us from these vices,” he said.
He, however, expressed optimism that the country could still reform its electoral system if there was sufficient political will.
According to him, Nigerians must decide whether the shortcomings witnessed during the 2023 polls would be repeated in 2027 or whether the country would adopt reforms capable of restoring confidence in the electoral process.
Utomi also warned against any attempt to weaken or discard electronic transmission and publication of election results, saying such moves could create opportunities for manipulation.
“If somebody tells us that having an IReV is impossible, we don’t need anyone to tell us that the fellow is determined to rig the next election,” he said.
Speaking on the nation’s broader socio-economic situation, Utomi said Nigeria was facing deep-rooted governance challenges, insisting that the country’s progress depended largely on the quality and character of its leaders.
“Anybody who says that Nigeria is working is either in self-deceit, outrightly deluded or simply dishonest,” he said.
He, however, maintained that he remained hopeful Nigeria would eventually overcome its current challenges and experience economic recovery through responsible leadership and institutional reforms.
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