Tambuwal: Nigeria’s elections not fully decided by voters, manipulation occurs during collation
Aminu Tambuwal, former Sokoto State governor and ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, has said elections in Nigeria are not solely determined by the will of voters, citing manipulation and systemic weaknesses in the process.
Speaking on Prime Time, an Arise Television programme, the Sokoto South senator attributed the problem to flaws within the electoral system, compromise by officials, and politicians’ exploitation of loopholes.
According to Tambuwal, the distortion of voters’ choices can occur at multiple stages of the process, from polling units through ward, local government, state and national collation centres.
“Elections in Nigeria are not completely decided by the electorate. From polling units to the highest level of collation, things happen that misrepresent what people actually voted for,” he said.
He argued that the system is undermined by a mix of institutional failures and political manipulation, noting that politicians often take advantage of any weaknesses they find.
“The compromise involves INEC, the courts and politicians. Wherever there is a loophole, politicians will exploit it,” Tambuwal said.
He identified challenges such as technological failures, delayed commencement of polls, non-electronic transmission of results and compromised officials as major contributors to the problem.
Tambuwal, however, expressed strong support for comprehensive electoral reforms, particularly the electronic transmission of results, even if such reforms work against his personal political interests.
“I fully support any reform that improves the electoral process, including electronic transmission, even if it costs me an election,” he said.
He also criticised Nigeria’s political party system, describing most parties as vehicles for acquiring power rather than organisations driven by clear ideologies.
“If ideology truly mattered, one would ask what President Muhammadu Buhari was doing in the APC alongside some of the characters in the party,” Tambuwal added.
