Politics
Prof Jega Slams Politicians Over Dividends Of Democracy
Wretched governance has been fingered as the main reason for the paucity of dividends of democracy for the citizenry since the advent of the current democratic dispensation in Nigeria in 1999.
A former Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega made the assertion in Ilorin, Kwara State, on Monday.
His stand was expressed in a paper he presented at the retreat put together by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
Prof Jega decried that though Nigeria could boast of many parading themselves as leaders, but good leaders still remained in short supply in the country.
The paucity of good leaders is compounded by the near absence of strong institutions that would help the citizens who invest so much optimism in democracy to reap handsomely therefrom, he noted.
He said, “Nigeria has been on a trajectory of liberal democratic development continuously for 23 years, since 1999 when the military returned to the barracks.
“While every four years we have routinely elected representatives into the legislative and executive arms of government, there is consensus that these elements of liberal democratic development have not yet translated into substantive socioeconomic development that satisfies the needs and aspirations of the overwhelming majority of citizens.
“For the past 23 years, the country has been under democratic rule, but the so-called dividends of democracy have not yet been desirable for the majority of Nigerian Citizens.
“Unfortunately, there has been bad leadership, not that there are no good leaders in the country but they are in short supply while the Democratic institutions are also weak.
“In general, leadership at all tiers of the Nigerian federation has not been good; it has been essentially bad and undemocratic; characterized by bad, rather than good, democratic governance.
“Many national organizations and institutions have been afflicted/affected by this tendency towards bad governance.
“The basic things we require in good governance are good leaders that can be transformational and transitional if we are to achieve good dividends of democracy.”
The political scientist who made his mark at the Bayero University, Kano (BUK) made bared his mind in his paper titled: “Importance of Personal Leadership Competencies in an Organization in Transition”.
He maintained that key qualities of leadership in a democratic context stated that the country required a leader with good representation, responsible and responsiveness, integrity and honesty adding that such a leader must have cognate experience and competence, in addition to understanding democratic governance.
He must be a leader who can inspire and motivate the followership, the professor asserted.
“We also need institutions that can inspire good governance”, the former INEC chairman said.
On his part, Director General, NILDS, Prof Abubakar Sulaiman said that Nigeria cannot afford to fail its citizenry in its over two decades of democratic evolution.
He asserted that the pessimism expressed by Western apologists about the survival of democracy in Nigeria should serve as a motivation to consolidate on the gains recorded, instead of setting the country backwards.
It is not all gloom, though, as Prof Sulaiman, a former Minister of Planning, pointed out that with 23 years of uninterrupted democracy, Nigeria has already proven her critics, most of whom are of the Western world, wrong.
He noted that democracy is not akin to the Western world but customized and domiciled according to people’s environment, pointing out that Nigeria has its own brand of democratic system.
Prof Sulaiman admitted the attendant shortcomings of the Nigeria’s democracy but insisted that they are not sufficient to belittle her democracy.
“Divergent opinions and views are allowed in any clime. And for the so-called apologists of democracy worldwide who believe that Nigeria cannot survive with its democracy, we don’t need to look outside, we don’t need to entertain fear because we can’t afford to fail our people.
“We have started democracy in almost 24 years now. When we first started, people never thought we would get to where we are now. For some people to have this kind of phobia, and pessimism and say Nigeria cannot survive, be it in the area of security, or political system, it is for us as a people to put that one behind us and see that, perhaps as something that could ginger us to move forward. That we have done in the last 24 years.
“We are not perfect as a democracy, we have our shortcomings and inadequacies here and there, but those things are not substantial enough for anybody to condemn the country as a democracy.
“I think we have done so much and I hope with the new government and with our democratic credentials, we stand a chance to do better, going forward.
“I’m not disturbed by the pessimism of the apologists of the Western world. Democracy is not akin to the Western world. It is customized and domiciled in your own environment. So, we have our own brand of democracy. To the best of my knowledge, I think we have been able to do it. We have done so much and we can still do so much”, the NILDS boss said.
Biztellers reports that the retreat was put together to afford the management staff of the institute ample opportunity to key into the agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the National Assembly under the leadership of Senator Godswill Akpabio.
“We at NILDS must therefore understand the nature of the fundamental changes and be in a good position to provide the necessary support to the National Assembly and other democratic institutions in line with our statutory role,” Prof Sulaiman added.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented Certificates of Return to candidates who emerged victorious in the June 20, 2026, bye-elections conducted across Rivers, Enugu, Nasarawa, Ondo and Kano states.
The commission announced the development in a statement shared on its official X platform on Tuesday, confirming the formal recognition of the successful candidates as duly elected representatives.
The certificates were presented on behalf of the INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, by the Supervising National Commissioner for Rivers State, May Agbamuche-Mbu.
READ ALSO: Ondo By-Election: INEC Breaks Silence on BVAS Issues, Result Upload Process
Speaking during the presentation ceremony, Agbamuche-Mbu congratulated the winners and urged them to justify the confidence reposed in them by their constituents through effective representation and responsive leadership.
She noted that the primary duty of elected officials is to serve the people faithfully and ensure that the interests of their communities are adequately represented at all times.
According to her, voters have entrusted the successful candidates with a mandate that comes with responsibility, accountability and dedication to public service.
“The primary responsibility of elected officials is to serve the people diligently and ensure their interests are well represented,” she said.
INEC stated that the issuance of the Certificates of Return officially affirms the candidates as winners of their respective elections and marks the conclusion of the electoral process.
The electoral body further disclosed that Certificates of Return would also be presented to winners of the Kebbi State House of Assembly election for Zuru Constituency as well as the Ekiti State governorship election.
It added that National Commissioners representing the affected constituencies conducted the presentations, formally confirming the elected candidates as duly returned winners.
The commission expressed optimism that the newly elected officials would work towards improving the welfare of their constituents and contribute positively to democratic governance in their respective states.
The June 20 bye-elections were held to fill vacant elective positions across several states, with INEC overseeing the conduct of the polls and subsequent declaration of winners.
The presentation of the Certificates of Return now paves the way for the successful candidates to assume office and begin carrying out the responsibilities attached to their mandates.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, securing another four-year term in office.
The Returning Officer for the election, Professor Adenike Oladiji, announced the result at about 3:13 a.m. on Sunday after the completion of collation from the state’s 16 local government areas.
According to the results, Oyebanji polled 319,224 votes to defeat his closest challengers.
READ ALSO: Ekiti Poll Shock: ADC Candidate Loses Home Ward to Oyebanji
The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Oluwole Oluyede, secured 40,543 votes, while Dare Bejide of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) garnered 12,872 votes.
Oladiji disclosed that 384,940 voters were accredited for the election, while 375,777 valid votes were recorded. She added that 6,332 votes were rejected, bringing the total votes cast to 382,109.
The declaration ended a closely watched governorship contest that saw voters across Ekiti State head to the polls on Saturday amid a generally peaceful atmosphere.
Despite the successful conduct of the election, reports of technical challenges and allegations of irregularities emerged from some polling units.
INEC said all 2,445 polling units designated for the election opened for voting.
According to the commission, 2,257 polling units, representing 92.31 per cent, opened before 8:30 a.m., while 188 polling units experienced minor delays but commenced voting before 10:30 a.m.
The electoral body also began uploading polling unit results to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) after voting and counting were completed in several locations.
During the election, PDP candidate Oluwole Oluyede raised concerns over developments at Ugele/Arokun Ward in Ikere Local Government Area.
Speaking to journalists after casting his vote at Polling Unit 006, he alleged that many voters were unable to vote because of challenges associated with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
Oluyede also alleged voter harassment and intimidation in the area.
Earlier, some elderly voters at the same polling unit expressed frustration after they were unable to complete accreditation due to BVAS issues and called on INEC to urgently address the problem.
ADC candidate Dare Bejide also alleged irregularities during the election.
However, Governor Oyebanji dismissed the allegations and insisted that those making such claims must provide evidence.
The governor, who voted at Polling Unit 003, Okelele, Ikogosi-Ekiti, in Ekiti West Local Government Area, described the conduct of the election as satisfactory and encouraged eligible voters to participate peacefully in the democratic process.
Similarly, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the election, CP Abayomi Shogunle, stated that no case of vote-buying was reported to security agencies during the poll.
Voting ended before 3 p.m. in many polling units, after which sorting and counting of ballots commenced. However, some locations experienced minor disruptions.
At Polling Unit 008 in Ugele/Arokun Ward, Ikere Local Government Area, sorting and counting reportedly became rowdy as party agents and supporters disagreed over the validity of some ballot papers.
At Polling Unit 006, where the PDP candidate voted, voting was still ongoing as of 4 p.m. due to delays caused by accreditation challenges.
Security personnel later intervened to restore order when the situation became tense.
Election observers generally commended the peaceful conduct of the exercise while raising concerns about some procedural issues.
First Vice President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Sebastian Anyia, described the process as peaceful and orderly, expressing optimism that the smooth conduct witnessed during accreditation would continue throughout the election.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Brenda Anugwom, praised the determination shown by female voters.
“The women are so resilient; in front of me at the other polling unit, they are laying their blankets on the floor and placing their toddlers, which means they are here to stay; they mean business, and they really want to cast their vote,” she said.
Meanwhile, election monitoring group Yiaga Africa raised concerns over what it described as discrepancies between ballot papers, result sheets and INEC’s published list of candidates.
In a statement signed by Aisha Abdullahi, Chair of the 2026 Ekiti Election Observation Mission, and Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, the organisation said:
“Yiaga Africa is observing the Ekiti State governorship election, and our preliminary findings raise serious concerns about the consistency of the materials INEC has deployed.”
The group warned that the inconsistencies could create confusion during voting and collation processes.
Reacting to the concerns, INEC explained that 19 political parties were included on the ballot paper to avoid the cost of printing fresh ballot papers following court orders and other administrative changes.
Ahead of the election, INEC repeatedly assured residents of its readiness to conduct a credible and transparent poll, while security agencies stated that extensive preparations had been made to ensure a peaceful exercise.
The Nigeria Police Force led a multi-agency security operation across the state, deploying personnel to polling units, collation centres and other strategic locations.
Authorities also imposed restrictions on vehicular movement during voting hours and warned political actors against violence, vote-buying and other electoral offences.
With the declaration of the final result, Oyebanji has secured a second term as governor of Ekiti State after recording a decisive victory over his opponents in the governorship election.
Election Results
Biodun Oyebanji (APC) – 319,224 votes
Oluwole Oluyede (PDP) – 40,543 votes
Dare Bejide (ADC) – 12,872 votes
Election Statistics
Accredited Voters: 384,940
Valid Votes: 375,777
Rejected Votes: 6,332
Total Votes Cast: 382,109
Governor Biodun Oyebanji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has recorded an early lead in the ongoing Ekiti State governorship election after defeating the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Dare Bejide, in his polling unit and ward.
The result was declared at Polling Unit 004, Ward 2, Ekiti South-West Local Government Area, where Bejide hails from.
The ward is also shared with IT expert and politician Makinde Araoye.
ALSO READ: Oyo APC Rejects LG Election, Says Makinde Wants to Rule by Proxy After Exit
According to the results announced, Oyebanji polled 140 votes, while Bejide secured 37 votes.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) recorded 2 votes.
Result breakdown for PU 004, Ward 2:
APC: 140 votes
ADC: 37 votes
PDP: 2 votes
The outcome handed the APC an early advantage as collation of results continues across the state under the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The result is seen as significant because Bejide lost in his own polling unit, an area expected to favour him as a native of the ward.
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