“2023 General Elections Was an Opportunity Where Citizens Thought They Were Going to Get It Right” – Mboho Eno
Mboho Eno, Deputy Director of the Accountability Program at the Center for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), has described Nigeria’s 2023 general elections as an opportunity where citizens believed they were finally going to get it right. However, he highlighted several issues that compromised the integrity of the process, Sharing his insights during Electoral Reform Hour on Radio Nigeria, hosted by Ezenwa Nwagwu.
Speaking on electoral challenges, Mboho pointed out that based on the precedents set by the Ekiti and Osun off-cycle elections, there was hope for a smooth process. However, issues arose on election day, including security threats and misunderstandings about the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Result Viewing Portal (IREV). Citizens believed the IREV was a collation platform rather than just a result-viewing tool, leading to confusion about the electoral process.
Mboho emphasized the need for better communication and clearer definitions of key electoral terms like ‘transmission’ and ‘collation’ to prevent similar misunderstandings in future elections. He also suggested that the IREV should serve a more central role in digital collation, rather than merely being a viewing platform.
When asked whether civil society organizations (CSOs) were complicit in the lack of clarity, Mboho admitted that CSOs placed too much trust in INEC’s assurances without critically analyzing their explanations. He called for broader conversations and increased scrutiny of electoral processes moving forward.
Regarding media neutrality, Mboho noted that political affiliations of media owners often impact coverage. He stressed the importance of maintaining journalistic integrity despite financial and political pressures. He also highlighted the role of misinformation in elections, pointing out efforts by the CJID and other organizations to counter electoral disinformation through media literacy programs and fact-checking initiatives.
On the issue of electoral reforms, Mboho suggested independent audits of elections beyond INEC’s internal reviews. He also called for greater scrutiny in the appointment process of Resident Electoral Commissioners and the INEC Chairman, proposing that the judiciary (NJC) should be involved to reduce partisanship.
Vote-buying, a recurring issue in Nigerian elections, was another concern raised. He emphasized the need for strict enforcement of penalties for electoral malpractice, noting that arrests are often made but few cases result in convictions.
Regarding the harmonization of voter identification systems, Mboho expressed skepticism about adopting the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) database without ensuring its security. He warned that foreign nationals had reportedly been able to obtain Nigerian IDs, raising concerns about the credibility of the database.
His insights on the program reflects broader concerns about Nigeria’s electoral process and the urgent need for reforms to restore public trust and improve future elections.
LISTEN TO THE FULL DISCUSSION HERE