The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC) says there is a need for free, fair, and credible elections to ensure patriotic, transparent and accountable leaders who will work and ensure good governance in Nigeria.

CISLAC director Auwal Rafsanjani said this at a seminar on electoral reforms and judicial integrity.

Mr Rafsanjani said while democracy had hitherto been threatened by a series of systemic challenges since 1999, we had anticipated to make appreciable progress than we currently have.

The CISLAC boss said the growing commercialisation of the electoral process has deprived many decent Nigerians of the opportunity to compete favourably in primary elections across political parties.

He said money politics threatens the country’s credible and inclusive electoral system. Political financing has become a profitable investment in the country.

Mr Rafsanjani said despite the limits to campaign donation and finance as stipulated by the Electoral Act, in the 2023 general and off-cycle elections, there was no control over political spending, as large amounts of money were expended on party primaries, electoral campaigns, vote-buying and vote-trading that consequently defeated the essence of electoral integrity.

According to Mr Rafsanjani, electoral violence is one problem identified as a stumbling block to free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria. He said it was no more news that many politicians resorted to illicit electoral strategies and used militant youth wings, militias or the state security forces to either win elections or strengthen their post-election bargaining position.

“Politics at all levels is currently marred by violence, persecution and intimidation and exclusion of women from active participation in electoral politics,” Mr Rafsanjani explained. “The emerging judicial corruption through the post-election litigation like tribunal activities and outcomes has called for adequate reform in our judicial system to make it more independent and efficient in the delivery of electoral justice through which the citizens’ choices prevail.”

According to the CISLAC director, these are disturbing trends that must be brought to an end so as not to make the role of the electorates irrelevant.

(NAN)