Politics
2023 And Conduct Of All Elections Same Day
Credible election, experts say, is the bedrock of constitutional democracy. Free and fair election guarantees peace and stability.
The consequences of a disputed election are obvious: protracted litigation, image problems for the candidates that emerge, among others.
Unarguably, Nigeria has a fair share of disputed elections. In most cases, after long litigation, the court has to decide the eventual winner.
They say that to deepen our democracy, we need to get the elections right.
To restore normalcy in the country’s electoral system, some stakeholders have suggested that all elections should hold on the same day.
There were, however, divergent views on the suggestion to hold all elections on the same day.
Even before the clamour to hold all elections in one day, the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbonanya Onu, had said that it was possible.
He said his ministry had developed a machine to handle elections of that magnitude.
Onu, who spoke with State House correspondents in Abuja, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, said that Council had been briefed on the machine in the performance assessment report he submitted.
He added that the electronic voting machine would be solar-powered.
The minster explained: “This voting solution will help us to have clean elections in Nigeria and will make it possible for us as a nation to conduct all our elections in one day at the same time. “All the elections, the national, state and local governments; seven of them can be conducted the same day.”
Onu added that the other qualities of the machine included the that fact it is paperless and also designed not to store data.
“So, if somebody comes to snatch it, it’s a waste of time. As soon as data comes into it, it transmits it.
“So basically, you’ll have a system that will be addressing many of the problems that we have today in the conduct of our elections.”
The minister said that the ministry was in consultation with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the machine, which had also been presented to the National Economic Council (NEC).
“We have gone to INEC on this, to set up a committee; we also took this before the National Economic Council and we are still working to further improve on the system,” he added.
The Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Orji Kalu, recently re-echoed the need to conduct all elections on the same day.
The former governor of Abia, called on INEC to consider holding the 2023 general elections same day, in order to reduce cost and rigging.
Kalu said that presidential election as well as the national assembly, governorship and state house of assembly elections could be concurrently taken care of on the same day, rather than having staggered dates for them.
He stressed that holding 2023 elections on the same day would minimise cost, give the electorate opportunity to vote their genuine choice and protect their votes.
Kalu also cited the U.S., Ghana and Sierra Leone as countries indulging in same day election, adding that Nigeria will not be out of place to do same.
The former governor said inter alia: “The INEC should conduct the 2023 elections same day as staggered elections are unnecessarily expensive.
“The conduct of the elections in different days gives room for rigging, thuggery and several vices. It also puts the lives of the voters and INEC officials on intense danger.
“When elections are conducted on the same day, popular candidates will emerge, because everyone will be busy in their polling units and zones, unlike different days. The cost of running two days’ elections will also be saved.
“To deepen our democracy, we need to get the elections right. When leaders with genuine interests of the people are voted to power, they provide exceptional leadership and infrastructure to their people.”
In the same vein, a former Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Ebonyi, Chief Abia Onyike, said, conducting all elections in one day will further entrench democracy in the country.
According to Onyike, a former Deputy National President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the idea will save cost and minimise political manipulations during elections.
“Presidential, national assembly, governorship and house of assembly elections should be conducted in one day, as this is the general practice all over the world.
“Organising elections in one day will save the country the huge cost usually incurred during staggered elections.
“Also, it will not create room for electoral manipulations which had been threatening our democratic process,’’ Onyike added.
He also stressed that conducting elections in one day would provide the electorate the opportunity to demonstrate their will without being unduly influenced.
“So, INEC should go back to the drawing board and review its capacity to conduct all the elections in one day.
“There will be no bandwagon effect and people will vote based on what they know,’’ he said.
However, two dons who spoke on the issue said it would be impossible to successfully conduct all elections in one day during the 2023 general elections.
The dons of the Department of Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Prof. Aloysius Okolie, said that conducting all the elections in one day would be impossible because the country lacked the manpower to do so without the process losing its credibility.
“If all the elections are conducted in a day, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies will be overwhelmed as they will not have enough manpower to perform their duties.
“Yes, if it is possible to be conducted in a day it will save cost, but it is impossible because of dearth of manpower.’’
Okolie, who is Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, said staggering of elections was not responsible for electoral malpractice as canvassed by opponents.
He said malpractice was caused by overzealous and wrong perception of some politicians, who saw election as a do or die affair.
“Even in the U.S. and other developed countries, elections are not conducted in one day, but election malpractice recorded is negligible.
“No country can conduct perfect election or election that is 100 per cent free and fair, but the malpractice should be minimal and negligible,” he said.
Head of Department of Political Science, Prof. Jonah Onuoha, also said the country lacked the manpower and logistics to conduct all 2023 elections in one day.
Onuoha said that even if it would be possible, it would not be now that the country is battling with serious security challenges, coupled with the penchant of politicians to rig elections
“Saving cost and staggering of elections are not main problems of conducting elections in the country, but how to get it right and conduct credible, free and fair elections even when staggered 10 times,’’ he said.
According to him, there will even be more fraud if all elections are conducted in a day because electoral stakeholders will be overwhelmed by the magnitude of work needed.
“INEC, security agencies, election observers and the media will not have enough manpower that will give adequate attention to all elections conducted that day.
“Nigeria should focus on conducting credible, free and fair elections, which results will be accepted by all contestants.
“This will improve the country’s image as well as save billions of naira spent by aggrieved candidates to challenge election results in election petition tribunals,” Onuoha said.
Undoubtedly, Nigeria is facing a challenge of conducting free, fair and credible election. Probably, experimenting with conducting all election same day, may save the situation.
By: Obike Ukoh
Ukoh writes for the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The state chairman of the party, Dr Babandi Gumel, disclosed this in a statement signed and made available to journalists on Saturday.
According to the statement, the Jigawa PDP received news of Alhaji Lamido’s suspension with “profound shock and disappointment”.
The statement added that the suspension, which was reportedly based on allegations that Alhaji Lamido attended meetings capable of undermining party unity, amounts to an affront to justice, internal democracy and the reconciliation efforts recently championed by the PDP leadership.
The party stressed that the exercise of legal and constitutional rights within the party should not be interpreted as an act of disunity. It recalled that Alhaji Lamido approached the court after he was allegedly denied the opportunity to purchase a nomination form to contest the position of National Chairman of the PDP.
The statement further noted that the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, ruled in Alhaji Lamido’s favour by restraining the PDP from proceeding with its national convention until his right to contest was determined.
The Jigawa PDP argued that the suspension appeared to be a punitive action against Alhaji Lamido for seeking judicial redress over an issue on which the court had already found merit.
The party also faulted the decision of the BoT for contradicting recent public statements by its chairman, Senator Adolphus Wabara, who had emphasised reconciliation within the party, admitted past mistakes and appealed to aggrieved members to return fully to the PDP fold.
However, it maintained that suspending a founding member who sought justice through legal means runs contrary to the spirit of reconciliation and healing publicly advocated by the party leadership.
The chairman said the suspension was premature and prejudicial, as the matter remains before the courts. He also described Alhaji Lamido as one of the few founding fathers of the PDP who has remained loyal to the party without defecting, warning that punishing such loyalty sends a negative signal to other committed members.
The party further argued that the action undermines party unity at a time when the PDP requires cohesion to effectively challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). It also insisted that there is no provision in the PDP constitution that allows for the suspension of a “life member”.
The party called on the BoT to immediately and unconditionally withdraw the suspension of Alhaji Lamido.
It also demanded that the BoT publicly affirm the right of all party members to aspire to leadership positions in line with the party’s constitution and the laws of the country, without fear of victimisation.
It further urged the BoT to retrace its steps, align its actions with its reconciliation agenda, and tender an apology to Alhaji Lamido.
The Jigawa PDP reaffirmed its commitment to a united, democratic and law-abiding Party.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, CISLAC warned that if proven, such actions would amount to a serious breach of constitutional order, legislative integrity, and public trust.
The organisation noted that Nigeria’s law-making process is clearly defined by the Constitution, stressing that any alteration of a bill after parliamentary passage undermines democratic governance and the principle of separation of powers.
CISLAC further emphasised that taxation has direct implications for citizens, businesses, sub-national governments, and the overall economy. It stated that uncertainty or a lack of transparency in tax legislation could erode investor confidence and raise concerns about accountability and the possible abuse of executive power.
The organisation described the situation as particularly troubling given the rare inclusive, and thorough public consultation that shaped the law’s final provisions prior to its passage.
“This process brought together taxpayers, civil society groups, professional organisations, the private sector, labour unions, local governments, and technical experts, ensuring that diverse viewpoints were considered and carefully balanced.
“Any unilateral changes to these agreed-upon provisions, made outside the established legislative process and without renewed public engagement, not only breach public trust but also violate the fundamental tax principle of representation, which holds that citizens must have a meaningful voice in shaping the laws that govern how they are taxed. Such actions undermine democratic accountability, weaken the legitimacy of the tax system, and risk eroding public confidence”, it noted.
CISLAC expressed particular concern that uncertainty surrounding the authenticity of the tax law, coming at a time when a new tax regime is expected to take effect, could exacerbate the economic hardship already faced by many Nigerians.
It observed that citizens are contending with rising living costs, inflationary pressures, declining purchasing power, and reduced access to basic services, warning that implementing a disputed tax framework under such conditions, risks deepening inequality, discouraging compliance, and fuelling public resentment.
The organisation stressed that tax reforms must be anchored in clarity, legality, fairness, and social sensitivity, cautioning that any tax system introduced without full transparency, adequate public communication, and legislative certainty undermines voluntary compliance and weakens the social contract between the state and its citizens.
As part of its recommendations, CISLAC called on the Presidency to urgently publish the exact version of the tax law assented to, alongside the authenticated copy passed by the National Assembly, to allow for public and institutional verification.
It also urged the leadership of the National Assembly to promptly exercise its oversight powers to determine whether the assented law reflects the will of the legislature, including a review of the enrolled bill process.
The organisation maintained that any discrepancy discovered should be treated as unconstitutional and addressed through lawful means, such as the re-transmission of the correct bill or judicial interpretation where necessary. It further called for an independent review of the process by relevant institutions, including the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and, where required, the judiciary, to establish the facts and assign responsibility.
CISLAC noted that the controversy highlights the urgent need to strengthen safeguards at the legislative and executive interface. It recommended measures such as digital tracking of bills, public access to enrolled legislation, and more transparent assent procedures.
CISLAC emphasised that the issue is not about partisan politics but about safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic institutions. It warned that allowing any arm of government to unilaterally alter laws passed by another sets a dangerous precedent and weakens constitutional democracy.
The organisation urged all parties involved to act with restraint, openness, and fidelity to the Constitution, noting that Nigerians deserve laws that reflect due process, the public interest, and the collective decisions of their elected representatives.
CISLAC added that it will continue to monitor developments and engage relevant stakeholders to promote accountability, transparency, and the rule of law in Nigeria’s governance processes.
