A former National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education at the Independent National Electoral Commission, Festus Okoye, has accused Nigeria’s political elite of undermining free and fair elections through vote buying and practices that prevent voters from freely determining election outcomes.
Okoye made the remarks on Tuesday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he argued that vote buying threatens the sovereignty of the electorate and weakens democratic accountability.
“I think that the political elite in this country really do not believe in free, fair and transparent elections. They just want to buy the votes of the people. They want to replace the people as the sovereign, and it is very unfortunate,” he said.
The former electoral commissioner argued that elections should allow citizens to vote without intimidation, coercion or pressure from political actors.
According to him, a credible election requires voters to make their choices freely before, during and after polling.
“The mark of a free, fair and transparent election is the ability of the people to go to the polling units to cast their votes without any form of intimidation, without any form of coercion, and without any form of duress,” Okoye said.
He criticised political parties for what he described as an inadequate focus on policy issues and ideological differences, arguing that some instead concentrate on finding ways to influence votes on election day.
Okoye calls for scrutiny of political actors
Okoye urged the media, civil society organisations and citizens to pay closer attention to the activities of political parties and their leaders before, during and after elections.
He said public scrutiny was necessary to discourage practices that undermine the credibility of elections and prevent voters from exercising their rights freely.
The former commissioner also praised ad hoc election workers, members of the National Youth Service Corps and other Nigerians who support the conduct of elections.
He acknowledged their contributions to the electoral process while emphasising the need to strengthen the systems that protect voters and ensure credible outcomes.
INEC expands technology use ahead of 2027
Okoye also called for the careful and timely deployment of technology to improve Nigeria’s electoral processes.
“I think that what is important is for the country to keep on improving and also keep on deploying technology as at when due in our electoral process,” he said.
His remarks come as INEC strengthens its preparations for the 2027 general elections.
On October 6, the commission established a dedicated Artificial Intelligence Division within its Information and Communications Technology Department to help detect anomalies and counter disinformation.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, has also said automated artificial intelligence auditing tools have been integrated into the commission’s results-verification process.
The effectiveness of these systems will depend on their implementation, transparency and ability to support existing electoral safeguards. Technology alone cannot eliminate vote buying, voter intimidation or other forms of electoral malpractice.
The commission has also begun early planning for election logistics through a multi-agency committee, with Amupitan warning that voters must not be disenfranchised because of delays in the distribution of election materials.
Focus turns to 2027 elections
INEC has scheduled the 2027 general elections for January 16 and February 6, covering the presidential and National Assembly elections and the governorship and state assembly polls, respectively.
The commission has also called for grassroots mobilisation against voter apathy, vote buying and electoral violence.
Okoye’s remarks add to the debate over how Nigeria can strengthen public confidence in elections and ensure that political competition is determined by voters rather than financial inducements or intimidation.
As preparations continue, his central argument is that credible elections require more than technology and logistics: political parties, public institutions and citizens must also protect the freedom of the electorate to make independent choices.
