Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has alleged that a powerful cabal within former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration frustrated efforts to implement genuine electoral reforms.
Speaking at the National Electoral Reforms Summit organised by the Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) in Abuja on Tuesday, Amaechi said Buhari had made moves to improve Nigeria’s electoral system, but those efforts were deliberately obstructed by influential figures within his government.
According to him, real electoral reform can only be achieved through citizen-driven action rather than relying solely on political leaders.
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“Most Nigerians who talk about electoral reform do so depending on where their stomach is facing. Those who blocked Buhari’s reforms are still in government today,” he said.
Amaechi argued that widespread citizen participation remains the strongest safeguard against electoral malpractice.
“If people come out en masse, nobody can manipulate the process. Anyone who tries to alter results or remove result sheets will only create problems for themselves,” he stated.
The former minister also expressed disappointment over the absence of former President Goodluck Jonathan and former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Emeka Anyaoku, who were expected at the summit.
He stressed that any resolutions from the summit would amount to little unless Nigerians themselves demand accountability.
“The real objective will be achieved when citizens rise collectively to say, enough is enough,” Amaechi said, criticising what he described as the politicisation of organised labour and student movements.
Also speaking at the event, former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, said credible elections remain the foundation of democracy, lamenting that Nigeria has consistently failed to meet democratic standards since 1999.
Ezekwesili called for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be granted prosecutorial powers to tackle electoral offences effectively.
“The absence of credible investigations and convictions for electoral crimes has created a system with no deterrence for bad behaviour,” she said. “Granting INEC its own prosecutors will help enforce accountability and strengthen democracy.”