Why INEC Chairman’s Tenure Should Be Short – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called for the appointment of new, credible leadership at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with short tenures to combat corruption and restore public trust in Nigeria’s electoral process.

Speaking at the Chinua Achebe Leadership Forum at Yale University in Connecticut, USA, Obasanjo delivered a keynote address titled “Leadership Failure and State Capture in Nigeria,” in which he criticized the 2023 general elections, describing them as a “travesty.”

Obasanjo stressed the urgent need for sweeping reforms to the electoral system, starting with a thorough vetting process for INEC officials to ensure impartiality and eliminate political bias.

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“It is crucial that the INEC chairperson and staff undergo rigorous vetting,” he stated, adding that the selection process should produce non-partisan individuals with exemplary reputations.

 

He also advocated for credible leadership at all levels of government—federal, state, and local—with limited terms to avoid political interference and corruption. The INEC chairperson, he said, must be “transparently independent and incorruptible” to safeguard the integrity of the electoral system.

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Obasanjo highlighted the importance of protecting democratic principles and called for measures to prevent electoral interference, alongside clear financial regulations to ensure transparency during political campaigns. Additionally, he emphasized the need for robust mechanisms to protect election infrastructure, particularly the technologies used to collect, transmit, and verify results.

The former president criticized INEC for its failure to fully utilize the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and Election Viewing Portal (IReV) during the 2023 elections, which he said undermined the credibility of the process.

“These technologies were lauded for their potential to increase transparency, prevent rigging, and build public trust,” he said. “However, INEC’s deliberate neglect of their use led to widespread irregularities, akin to inviting the fox into the henhouse.”

Obasanjo’s remarks underscore the urgent need for electoral reforms as a foundation for strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.

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