2 weeks ago
15
Former Director-General of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Tonnie Iredia, has called for significant reforms in Nigeria’s electoral process, stressing the need for impartial election umpires and accountability for those who manipulate the system.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday, his comments came in response to the recent conviction of Professor Ignatius Uduk, who was sentenced to three years in prison for publishing false election results and perjury. Iredia highlighted the need for Nigeria to re-evaluate its approach to election management.
He said, “I think that we probably need to change our approach to INEC and perhaps other agencies that are involved in the conduct of elections. We need an impartial election umpire.”
Iredia also said, “It is frustrating when people we consider credible, such as university professors, behave like political thugs and undermine the voting process.” He emphasised that those entrusted with conducting elections should prioritise national development over personal gain.
Commending the two judges who delivered the ruling in Uduk’s case, Iredia stated that while fairness in judicial rulings should be the norm, it has become rare in Nigeria’s election-related cases. He urged other judges to follow their example and uphold the integrity of the judiciary.
He said, “The two judges, I think that it is important to praise them, not because it is an extraordinary thing for a judge to do his job, but because we hardly find this type of situation in Nigeria. A lot of people, once it comes to election cases that are somersaulting. We need to praise these two judges and to expect that others will emulate them.
He further criticised the appointment of politically affiliated individuals into the electoral commission, arguing that such decisions compromise the credibility of elections. He called on lawmakers to adhere to the Nigerian Constitution, which prohibits individuals with prior political involvement from serving as election umpires.
He stated, “The political class should stop appointing politicians into the electoral commission and each time somebody who has some political lineage is brought in, civil society will raise an alarm and nobody will do anything about it. The senate committee on elections will tell you that they don’t see anything wrong about the person, so he will be cleared and he becomes an election umpire. At the end of the day, he embarrasses all of us.
“I think we should be able to follow the rules of the game because the election is based on rules. The Nigerian constitution says that anybody who has had anything to do with elections should not be an umpire. We don’t even need a constitution to say that because it’s common sense.”
Additionally, Iredia suggested that making political offices less financially rewarding would encourage genuine public service and reduce electoral malpractice. He condemned excessive spending on politicians, such as purchasing luxury vehicles and granting them benefits that career civil servants can never access.
“Maybe if we can make our political offices less attractive, less lucrative, then we begin to find persons of integrity who will come out and really serve. This idea of buying 160 million (naira) vehicles for people just because they were elected is wrong, or just allowing them to take at the end of their tenure, some kind of allowance and benefit that those who have worked for 35 years in government cannot get. When they talk about reforms, these are the areas they should go to. It’s not about changing the electoral act every year and when you change it, the political class has a way of circumventing it.”
He concluded by urging INEC to prioritise selecting officials with proven integrity and commitment to service, stating that finding credible individuals is not difficult if the right approach is taken.
Professor Uduk, who served as the collation and returning officer in the 2019 Akwa Ibom North-West State House of Assembly election, was convicted for publishing fraudulent results and perjury, though he was acquitted of announcing false results.
Melissa Enoch
Follow us on:
English (US) ·