Dr George Agbakahi, a prominent political analyst and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has issued a strong warning against the growing proposal for political parties and private groups to establish parallel systems for declaring election results in Nigeria. He argues that such moves could destabilize the country’s democratic framework, threaten national security, and undermine the constitutional authority vested in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Speaking ahead of the 2027 general elections, Agbakahi emphasized that only INEC has the legal mandate to authenticate and declare election outcomes under the Nigerian Constitution and Electoral Act.
In a detailed statement titled “Competing Electoral Verdicts and the Threat to Democratic Stability in Nigeria: The Perils of Parallel Result Declarations in Nigeria,” Agbakahi stressed that democratic legitimacy depends on a single, lawful authority to determine electoral results. He pointed out that the electoral process, from polling units to national collation, is structured and supervised entirely by INEC. Any attempt by political parties or private entities to replicate or bypass this system, he warned, constitutes an unconstitutional usurpation of power.
Agbakahi acknowledged that political parties have significant access to election data through accredited agents at polling units and collation centers. They can observe vote counting, verify result sheets, and monitor the collation process. Technological tools like the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV) also enhance transparency. However, he clarified that access to data does not equate to legal authority to declare winners. Parties may analyze results and challenge discrepancies through election petitions, but the final declaration must come from INEC.
He further rejected the idea that freedom of expression justifies alternative result declarations, noting that constitutional rights are subject to restrictions for public order and national stability. Agbakahi warned that real-time, independent result aggregation systems could create competing narratives of electoral truth, especially in an age of artificial intelligence and deepfake technology. He cited historical examples in Nigeria, including the 1964–1965 Western Region crisis, the annulment of the 1993 presidential election, and the 2011 post-election violence that killed over 800 people, to illustrate the dangers of electoral fragmentation.
Beyond Nigeria, he referenced violent post-election crises in Kenya (2007–2008), Côte d’Ivoire (2010–2011), and Zimbabwe (2008), all of which stemmed from disputed results and competing claims to victory. Given Nigeria’s ethnic diversity and history of election-related tensions, Agbakahi warned that similar scenarios could have even more severe consequences. He highlighted growing political polarization, economic hardship, and the spread of digital misinformation as key risks ahead of 2027.
To safeguard democratic integrity, Agbakahi called for strict enforcement of electoral laws, expanded real-time result publication by INEC, and possible legislative reforms to address technological challenges. He urged media organizations to clearly distinguish between official results and partisan tallies. Ultimately, he stressed that Nigeria’s democratic future hinges on preserving the singular, lawful authority of INEC. “The choice confronting the nation is not between transparency and opacity; it is between constitutional order and institutional fragmentation,” he concluded.
Leave a Comment