ABUJA- THE Senate President, Godswill Akpabio; rights activist, Mr Femi Falana, SAN; the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Mr Tony Ojukwu, SAN; a retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Abdu Aboki, yesterday, proffered ways of deepening Nigeria’s democracy to ensure credible elections that produce leaders capable of delivering democratic dividends to the people.
They noted existing inadequacies but stressed that achieving electoral integrity requires the commitment of all segments of society, including the political parties, politicians, the electorate, security agencies and the electoral officials.
They spoke at the annual June 12 commemoration lecture in honour of the former Chairman of the National Electoral Commission, NEC, late Prof Humphrey Nwosu, who conducted the 1993 general elections, including the June 12 presidential election.
The event, theme: ‘Electoral integrity and the future of credible elections in Nigeria,’ was organised by the NHRC in collaboration with the Prof Humphrey N. Nwosu Centre for Democracy and Human Rights.
In his address, the Senate President commended the late Nwosu for his contribution to the restoration of democracy in the country, particularly his role in the conduct of the June 12 presidential election.
The Senate President, who was represented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, Senator Adeniyi Adegbonmire, noted that a key responsibility of the parliament is to provide the legal framework that guarantees free, fair, transparent and credible elections.
Akpabio said: “The future of credible elections in Nigeria will depend, not only on technology and legal reforms, but also on character, leadership and institutional trust,” adding that “nations rise when citizens believe in the fairness of their institutions.”
Also speaking, Mr Falana, who recalled his involvement, along with some others, in the struggle to ensure the June 12 presidential election was held, commended the late Nwosu for the role he played, describing him as a man of integrity and courage.
“By April 1993, we knew that General Babangida was not committed to having an election. He simply wanted to metamorphose from a military dictator to a civilian president. So we had a running battle,” Falana said.
He expressed disappointment that those who are currently the direct beneficiaries of the past democratic struggles appear not to be committed to ensuring electoral integrity and providing the people with dividends of democracy.
He said: “If you want democracy next year at the elections, you must ensure that kidnapping, abduction of Nigerians, including children, stops.
“We can’t be talking of elections without addressing problems that will make elections impossible next year. If terrorism continues, if abduction of people continues, it will be difficult to have campaigns very soon.”
The NHRC boss said the event was not merely a commemoration lecture, but a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by courageous Nigerians in the struggle for democracy, constitutional governance, electoral justice, and the protection of fundamental human rights to participate in free and fair elections.
On his part, Justice Aboki noted that at a moment when citizens are demanding accountability, when technology is reshaping political participation and when democratic institutions are being tested across the world, Nigeria must confront a fundamental question: how do we strengthen the sanctity of our electoral process?
He argued that electoral integrity is not merely a technical issue; it is a human rights issue, because it is about the right of every citizen to choose their leaders freely without fear of manipulation or disenfranchisement.
