2023 polls: It’s worrisome we’ve moved from era of ballot box snatching to one of server manipulation

6th August 2023

• Reveals why National Peace Committee is yet to submit its report on election

From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja

The Head of Secretariat, National Peace Committee, Rev. Fr. Atta Barkindo, has disclosed why the Peace Committee is yet to submit report of the 2023 presidential election.

Speaking with Sunday Sun in Abuja, the Executive Director, The Kukah Centre, said the committee does not rush in providing reports as far as the conduct of elections in Nigeria is concerned.

“The election report of the National Peace Committee is not done in a rush. This is because the report does not only cover the presidential and the national assembly elections. It includes the entire electoral cycle, in this case, the 2023 electoral cycle. This means that we have to include the reports of the off-cycle elections, assessing the impact of the general elections on the off-cycle elections before making our recommendations,” he explained.

Barkindo, a Senior Research Fellow for International Religious Freedom Policy at the Washington DC-based Religious Freedom Institute, spoke on this and other sundry issues surrounding the conduct of elections in Nigeria, particularly the 2023 general elections. Excerpt:

The 2023 general election has come and gone, looking back, what were the major landmarks of that election?

It is important that we first thank God that the elections went peacefully and there was no outbreak of widespread violence in the country, although there were reports of pockets of violence in some cities. I think, for me, this is really a major landmark, considering the different predictions of total outbreak of war offered by analysts, as well as pastors and Imams. This was a major achievement. However, this would not have been possible without the resilience and commitment of the Peace Committee members. Throughout the election cycle, they held strategic meetings with critical stakeholders, conducted private mediations and negotiations to ensure that the entire process was peaceful. And for the umpteenth time, the Peace Committee literally assembled the international community, with national stakeholders, including political parties and candidates to recommit themselves to a peaceful process and if aggrieved with the outcome, engage judicial process rather than resorting to violence. This has been the case, and the country has remained relatively peaceful and stable. But outside these, the genuine interest, the consciousness, and the awareness that the entire 2023 elections created, particularly among young people, is significant to the future of democracy in Nigeria. That interest, I think, must be sustained for our democracy to survive. We must give kudos to all Nigerian citizens and voters, who, despite all the threats to violence, the currency redesign and lack of fuel, came out, lined up , patiently voted and defended their votes. This is a clear demonstration that democracy remains the legitimate path to peace, prosperity, and development.

Were there setbacks? If yes, what are they?

Absolutely! And there is no perfect election anywhere, including the United States of America. The 2023 general elections also had some setbacks. For example, the gospel of technology was preached all-round the country. We were made to believe that technology was the game changer. Yet, there was no sufficient critical analysis of the risks and the challenges that may emerge with the use of technology. Even if there were, the evidence was not adequately presented to the citizens of the country. Consequently, the non-functioning of the server and the lack of uploading of the elections results, were very disappointing to say the least. We thought that with the introduction of electronic transmission of results, the era of ballot box snatching was over. There are worries that we have just entered the era of server manipulation, and it is very concerning. Another major setback is the pockets of violence that were experienced in places like Lagos, Kogi, Imo and Rivers states. There were also reports of targeted disenfranchisement in a few areas which is not acceptable. If we really want to push for peaceful conduct of elections in Nigeria, we must do everything to promote peace and non-violence on election day. Furthermore, there was limited compliance with the rules and regulations, even at the political party level, right up to the Electoral Act and some of the constitutional provisions. At the moment, we do not seem to know which part of INEC regulations are advisory and which ones are obligatory. I think the culture of impunity and lack of submission to the rule of law will always be a challenge for the growth of our democracy if they are not addressed. They must be addressed, and the courts need to send strong signals that compliance with rules of the game are central to the growth of democracy in Nigeria.

In that case, has the National Peace Committee made recommendations to the Federal Government? And what was contained in the National Peace Committee’s recommendation to the government?

The election report of the National Peace Committee is not done in a rush. This is because the report does not only cover the presidential and the National Assembly elections. It includes the entire electoral cycle, in this case, the 2023 electoral cycle. This means that we have to include the reports of the off-cycle elections, assessing the impact of the general elections on the off-cycle elections before making our recommendations. So, what the NPC is doing now is collating its own report and also studying the reports of other election observation missions. This provides the opportunity for the NPC to assess the culture of the entire 2023 election cycle, make comparisons with other reports, unearth the similarities and the differences before designing strategic policy recommendations, particularly, with regards to the role of key stakeholders in deepening the culture of peaceful elections. Other technical, judicial and legal issues can be handled and analysed by experts who are concerned with these. The Peace Committee’s mandate is around promoting peace and violence-free elections at both the national and the sub-national level . This is where most of our recommendations will be centered on.

Regarding the violence that usually characterise elections in the country, how does the National Peace Committee feel that after coming forward to sign the peace pact, contestants, followers and party faithful, still desecrate the peace accord that was signed?

I wouldn’t say that signatories desecrated the Peace Accord, that would be too harsh considering the time and commitment they put into it, as well as the genuine desire for peaceful and transparent elections on all sides. However, you must remember that there were two Peace Accord ceremonies. The first accord, signed in September 2022, committed parties to peaceful conduct during rallies and campaigns, emphasising issue-based discussions over personal attacks. The second accord, signed on February 22, 2023, focused on accepting the election results and seeking legal recourse in cases of grievances. According to the Kukah Centre’s findings, political parties demonstrated a significant failure to uphold the first peace accord, with a 70 per cent non-compliance rate. Parties failed to maintain decorum in public conduct and communication, including interviews in print and electronic media. However, the second peace accord fared better, with approximately 90 per cent compliance in accepting election results and seeking legal redress. For instance, following the presidential election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and other major parties rejected the results. However, in adherence to the peace accord, they pursued legal recourse instead of inciting their supporters. This is a remarkable thing, and we commend the parties for toeing this path. Moving forward, stakeholders in politics and governance recognise the need for greater efforts to promote peaceful conduct among political players, particularly political parties, their candidates, and spokespersons. Politicians should receive training on constructive criticism of opponents and effectively market their agenda without crossing ethical boundaries.

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) are currently at the tribunal, challenging the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as President of Nigeria. Are you confident that the tribunal will do a good job?

The tribunal is a product of the context and culture of Nigeria. It is not different from Nigeria. The Peace Committee is a neutral body, and it thrives on its objectivity, non-interference and convening power. It is not aligned to any political party. If anything, it stands for peace, stability and progress of Nigeria. In my opinion, the Peace Committee, like any other Nigerian, expects the tribunal to do its job in line with the rule of law and based on facts and evidence. Once justice is done, peace becomes less challenging to preach. The most important thing is how to handle the likely situation that may emerge once the court process is completed, even at the Supreme Court. For the Peace Committee, no one deserves to die, no house is expected to be burnt down, and no structure in this country should be destroyed just because of the judgment. We want to live in peace because without peace, there will be no economic development, progress, and prosperity. It is, however, essential that the judicial process is completely transparent in order for the outcome to be accepted, as this will make our work as peace advocates much easier. So, all parties have a role to play.

People have said that in areas where the LP candidates won elections, results were accepted by other parties, but in areas where they lost, they are refusing to accept defeat. Does this development worry the National Peace Committee?

The mandate of the Peace Committee is to facilitate peaceful elections and support non-violent transition in the country. Any development that will lead to violence and killing will certainly worry the Peace Committee. In terms of uploading results, accepting, and rejecting results anywhere in the country, these are technical issues and I think you must address this question to INEC and those who are empowered constitutionally to manage election matters. But for the NPC, any process that will lead to violence and the destruction of lives and property, becomes an area of concern. The NPC cannot extend its scope beyond its mandate.

Some have also said that nullifying Tinubu’s electoral victory will throw the country into chaos and confusion and a setback for the country. Does the National Peace Committee agree with that?

As I mentioned before, the NPC is a neutral body, and is not linked to any political party, and does not lay claim to any sectional interest. The interest of the Peace Committee is the stability and unity of Nigeria. Therefore, the Peace Committee does not share any sentiment that represents the view of a particular political party. For the committee, the courts should be allowed to do their job without any interference, and all citizens should abide by the rule of law. Nigeria is the only country that we have, and we must work hard to unify this country and to move forward. We are calling on all the stakeholders – PDP, Labour Party, APC, APM and all the political parties; traditional rulers, religious leaders, critical stakeholders, we must come together. We have put our trust in the tribunal. Once the judgment is delivered, let us work together to secure this country.

A member of the National Peace Committee and Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, said few days ago that Tinubu is not yet Nigeria’s President. How do you view this statement coming from a highly respected personality as Cardinal Onaiyekan?

I do not have the authority to comment on what a member of the Peace Committee has said or has not said. What I do know is that John Cardinal Onaiyekan is a respected statesman, who has served this country with absolute loyalty and commitment. He remains one of the highest-ranking members of the Catholic hierarchy in Nigeria, a recognition that is not lost on the Government of Nigeria. As a citizen, and more so in his capacity, and with his status, he has every right to hold an opinion. This opinion, like the opinions of millions of Nigerians, cannot be stifled. The freedom of expression is already guaranteed by the constitution. You remember what Bishop Kukah himself has expressed – that now that the election matter is at the tribunal, it is like a goal that has been scored, but the referee has gone to check the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). Well, it is recorded as a goal, but the VAR will finally have to determine whether the goal has been scored or not. So, at this moment, we are at the point of VAR, and I think the Cardinal is waiting for the referee to make the final declaration.

For making recommendations to the country as they have always done since 1999, the presidency criticised the report of the European Union Election Observation Mission to Nigeria for the 2023 general election, even as protesters stormed the Europe House in Abuja over the recommendation. How does the NPC view the developments?

The European Union Election Observation Mission was not the only mission that came to the country to observe the elections. In fact, we had local, national, and international observation missions across the country. All these missions have their reports reflecting different aspects, depending on what people saw and witnessed on the field. The government has its own opinion regarding the elections, and so many other citizens too. The government may agree or disagree with any opinion, however, personally I believe we should pick out some constructive aspects of any observation report to see how we can improve the electoral process.

Will there ever be perfect or an election close to perfection in Nigeria?

What do you mean by perfect elections? How do you define perfection? There are no perfect human beings in Nigeria. So why would we expect perfect elections? It is not possible and I am not sure there are perfect elections anywhere in the world. Systems always have flaws ; machines and other technologies are not infallible , so perfect elections are an ideal that we can only continue to aspire to and advance towards . I think that we need to continue to improve the conduct of our elections, learn from past mistakes and strive to meet the expectations of citizens, while allowing ourselves to be held accountable for any lapses . There will always be challenges, but they should be within reason and all effort should be made to resolve them. This level of effectiveness, responsiveness and accountability is what can make our elections more acceptable to citizens. But there are always going to be divergent views and opinions. That is human society and democracy allows for this. For us, the thing that remains at the centre is peace and when our systems work better, peace becomes easier to attain.

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