Nigeria’s political elite have already set the wheels in motion to manipulate the 2027 general elections, Professor Adele Jinadu, a renowned political scientist, has alleged.
Speaking during the policy dialogue on “The State of Anti-Corruption Policy and Practice in Nigeria” in Abuja, Prof. Jinadu accused ruling parties of using their influence to appoint partisan individuals as commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“They have started the process of rigging the next general election through the appointment of known party members,” he asserted. “Next year, many INEC commissioners will be up for reappointment, and they will leverage this power to install loyalists who will execute their agenda.”
He further claimed that vote-buying schemes were being fueled by funds amassed through corrupt procurement processes. “Instead of targeting poor voters who receive N2,000 or N4,000, the EFCC should focus on party primaries, where candidates pay exorbitant amounts in naira and dollars to secure tickets,” Prof. Jinadu advised.
Warning of dire consequences if the status quo remains unchallenged, Prof. Jinadu urged Nigerians to take decisive action against corruption. “We are at a critical point in our history. Time is running out, but it is not too late. We must adopt the Night Watchman approach, stay vigilant, and speak truth to power,” he said.
The professor criticized the recurring political interference in Nigeria’s anti-corruption bodies, specifically the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
“Frequent leadership changes have weakened these institutions. The EFCC, for instance, has had nine chairpersons since its inception in 2003. This disrupts continuity and undermines their effectiveness,” he noted.
Prof. Jinadu lamented that the political class remains focused on self-interest rather than national development, a trend he described as “tragic and self-destructive.”
He emphasized the urgent need for ethical leadership, describing the current state of governance as rooted in “politics of immorality.”
“The abuse of incumbency power has reached disturbing levels of impunity, eroding public trust and undermining democracy. We must restore morality to our politics and reject these unethical practices,” he declared.
To combat corruption, Prof. Jinadu proposed overhauling the judiciary to eliminate excessive formalism and elitist tendencies. “We need a legal system that prioritizes public interest and anchors social and distributive justice as state policy,” he said.
As the 2027 elections loom, Prof. Jinadu’s warnings underscore the need for vigilance and collective action to safeguard Nigeria’s democratic integrity.
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