ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has admitted that the decade spanning 2015 to 2025 was plagued by persistent crises that threatened the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process, despite numerous reforms and technological innovations introduced during the period.
This was disclosed in a new INEC publication titled “Election Management in Nigeria: 2015–2025,” in which the immediate past INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, in his foreword, painted a sobering picture of recurring challenges that continuously undermined elections across the country.
Yakubu noted that INEC was dragged into thousands of pre- and post-election litigations, often receiving contradictory court orders from courts of concurrent jurisdiction, creating confusion and disrupting preparations for polls.
He also identified vote trading, logistical breakdowns that led to election postponements, and violent attacks on INEC facilities and personnel as some of the most destabilising setbacks faced by the Commission.
“The 2015-2025 decade was not without its challenges. Conflicting court orders, violence targeted at our staff and facilities, the scourge of vote trading, and persistent logistics bottlenecks continued to test the credibility and smooth conduct of elections,” said Yakubu.
Beyond legal and human constraints, Yakubu said technical failures also crippled INEC’s operations during the decade. Equipment breakdowns and network collapses frequently disrupted voter accreditation and delayed the electronic transmission of results, eroding public confidence in the process.
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Although the commission introduced technological reforms such as the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the INEC Voter Enrolment Device (IVED), and the INEC Results Viewing (IReV) portal, Yakubu acknowledged that technology alone could not resolve deeply entrenched challenges.
He noted that INEC was compelled to intensify voter education, strengthen collaboration with security agencies, and expand inclusivity measures for persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
Yakubu warned that the future of election management in Nigeria remains uncertain, stressing that only a candid confrontation of these persistent challenges alongside consolidation of existing reforms can guarantee credible and transparent elections.
“The commission must fully embrace both successes and failures. We must intensify confidence and trust-building measures, expand inclusivity, and remain proactive in addressing potential threats to our elections,” he said.
The 200-page publication, richly illustrated with photographs and infographics, presents an unflinching account of how Nigeria’s elections over the past decade were repeatedly undermined by systemic flaws and crises that persist despite various interventions.
It also highlights significant progress made through the adoption of technology, while emphasising that elections cannot be fully technology-driven but can only be supported by technological innovations to enhance transparency and efficiency.