Election observer group Yiaga Africa has raised concerns over the credibility of Nigeria’s recent by-elections, stressing the need for electoral processes that build public trust—not just ones that are relatively peaceful.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Yiaga Africa’s Programme Director, Cynthia Mbamalu, acknowledged that while the by-elections were largely peaceful, there were disruptions in some areas caused by political thugs attempting to interfere with voting.
“Elections should be peaceful by default,” she said. “But we must go beyond that to ensure processes that genuinely inspire confidence in the system.”
Mbamalu identified result management as a key area of concern. Although the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has outlined procedures for electronic result collation, she noted that inconsistencies in the application of these guidelines continue to create confusion—particularly in decisions around overvoting and ballot cancellations.
She emphasized that the issue is not just about peace, but about strict adherence to electoral rules.
Furthermore, Mbamalu criticized political parties for contributing to the deterioration of electoral integrity. “Political actors often undermine the process in their desperation to win at all costs,” she said.
Despite efforts to strengthen INEC’s independence and encourage voter participation, she lamented that such progress is frequently undercut by the actions of the political elite.
“The more we work to strengthen democracy, the more some politicians intensify efforts to derail it,” Mbamalu concluded.
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