THE Electoral Commission of Ghana has shown Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) how to conduct a free, fair and credible election.

Ghana’s weekend presidential poll pitted President Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party against former President John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress.

The election was initially thought to be Akufo-Addo’s to lose until the result started trickling in. The election turned out to be flawless as the former Ghana’s president, Mahama, made a surprise comeback in his third attempt – for a second term.

While the election results collation was going on, Ghana’s Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia conceded defeat and congratulated the opposition candidate, Mr Mahama, on his victory.

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“I have spoken to President-elect John Dramani Mahama to congratulate him on his victory. The people of Ghana have spoken, and we must respect their decision,” said Mr Bawumia. 

Goodluck Jonathan’s Style

Mr Bawumia probably saw that gesture from Nigeria’s former President Goodluck Jonathan, who conceded defeat when he found he was losing the 2015 presidential election as the candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

While results collation was still ongoing, Mr Jonathan congratulated his opponent, Mr Muhammadu Buhari, who was evidently coasting home to victory.

This was confirmed by former Military Head of State, Mr Abdulsalami Abubakar, who told State House correspondents that President Goodluck Jonathan had called to concede defeat to Mr Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mr Jonathan’s loss was facilitated by some of the electoral reforms he had put in place such as the card reader.

Unfortunately, former President Buhari failed to sign the electoral act before the 2019 election in which he was a candidate. Also, days before the 2015 election, his government removed then Chief Justice of the Federation, Mr Walter Onnoghen, who has now been discharged and acquitted.

He won the election amid allegations of ballot stuffing, ballot snatching other malpractices.

Shameless INEC and Ghana’s example

During Ghana’s presidential election, there was no rigging and none of Ghana’s electoral officials was used to subvert the will of the people’s will like INEC officials did in the 2023 elections.

Several INEC officials were caught on camera trying to rig the 2023 elections. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of Adamawa State, Mr Hudu Yunusa Ari, forcefully and unilaterally pronounced the All Progressives Congress (APC), Aisha Dahiru, popularly called Binani, as the winner of the state’s governorship election without the returning officer.

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“Under the Electoral Act, only the Returning Officer appointed by INEC headquarters is authorised to declare the result of an election. Section 2(25)(f) of the Act stipulates that a Returning Officer shall announce the result and declare the winner in a governorship election while section 66 provides that in a governorship election, the candidate who fulfills the relevant constitutional provisions and scores the highest number of votes in an election will be declared elected by the Retuning Officer,” Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) said.

The iREV manipulation

On the day of the presidential election, which came before the gubernatorial election, Nigerians went to vote for their candidates.

It was the day the National Assembly elections were also held. Unfortunately, while it was easy for INEC officials to upload results of the National Assembly elections on the results portal, known as iREV, it was impossible for the presisential election.

Up till now, INEC has failed to explain to Nigerians in detail why this happened. Its explanation was that this was “a glitch.” INEC has not publicy punished those responsible for this, losing the confidence of Nigerian voters.

Exactly 100 days before the election, INEC Chairman, Mr Mahmood Yakubu, had given a promise of a free and fair election in the 2023 polls.

“As I have said repeatedly, the Commission’s allegiance is to Nigeria. Our loyalty is to Nigerians who want free, fair, credible and verifiable elections supported by technology, which guarantees transparent accreditation and upload of polling unit results for citizens to view in real-time on Election Day,” Yakubu said on November 16, 2022.

“It is for these reasons that the BVAS and the IReV were introduced. There is no going back on the deployment of BVAS and IReV for the 2023 general election,” he noted.

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Yet, these promises were not fulfilled, and no explanation was provided by INEC as to how the “glitch” happened or who was responsible for it. Incidentally, Mr Yakubu was in Ghana to monitor the flawless presidential election.

“Rarely in Ghana do you see people moving from one party to another with every general election. So, that is important,” Mr Yakubu was quoted to have said after the election.

“It provides stability.It also provides their supporters stability. So, there are people who support political parties for many years. So, whether the party is in power or in opposition, they stick to the political party,” he added.

Mr Yakubu was heavily criticised on social media for these comments, with several Nigerians ridiculing him for failing to do what Ghana’s electoral chair has done.

“In Nigeria, those who are supposed to enforce well-designed policies often come up with ideas of their own which are completely opposite of the policies they are to enforce. You spent a lot on BVAS, but at it’s most important point of usage, it develops ‘technical faults,'” said an X user, @Ebeneze49169996 said.