I thought the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is saddled with the responsibility of providing professional and well delivery service but became skeptical having seen this mind blowing photo of some INEC officials expected to be actively attending to electorates being caught on camera sleeping during the Lagos Senatorial Bye election today, 5th December 2020.
A situation that calls for scrutiny and questioning on the electoral integrity of the commission, especially its response to the demands of the electorates in recent times.
Why sleeping on duty?
As a Presiding Officer in the recent concluded Ondo gubernatorial election, I had firsthand experience of how election operates within the spectrum of the Nigeria political clime. For the few hours spent in the field, I noticed the apathy symptom occasioned as a result of the lack of faith by the electorates on what the commission had to offer them because of their past experiences.
For some, they believed in the popular mantra ‘who pays the pipe, dictates the tune’ and this in turn, create an impression of how the outcome of the election would always turn out to be.
In this instance, only few electorates were on ground to cast their votes for the candidates of their choice. So, I had 1001 reasons to act just like the ‘sleeping Jonahs’ did here during the poll if only I had not known what’s expected of me to do at that particular period.
Back to the question, why sleeping on duty?
I don’t think it’s an idea of any sane institution to recruit staff for the purpose of sleeping while on duty. Such institution would only end up in disarray if allowed, hence, I have these INEC officials to blame in this scenario because they’re expected to be professional about discharging their duty, particularly in a way that’s in line with the ethics of the commission.
Also, I’ll blame the commission for failing in its part by following up on the conduct of the election because I believed there supposed to be a Supervisory Presiding Officer (SPO) in charge of this assignment.
Sleeping INEC working?
Since its inception, the INEC as a body deemed fit for the conduct of free and fair polls in the country, has been slacking in its attempt to engage the public on intensive electoral education, especially in the area of ‘why to vote’.
Reason: many Nigerians still doubt the integrity of the commission in conducting a free and credible election, and as such, they rather stay indoors during elections than going out to exercise their civic rights.
If INEC must convince Nigerians on why they should come out enmass to vote, it must definitely earn that trust and goodwill from the people because the voice of the people, they say is the voice of God and this is not an exemption.
On this note, I urge the commission to look for other alternatives to engage the electorates more on why they should be active members of this process, and this shouldn’t be done in isolation of the fact that the government as an institution of the state must also be in affirmative with the basic tenets of a true democratic system where every vote actually counts and not what’s obtainable in this clime.
– Arogbonlo Israel writes from Lagos
