Amaechi: Cabal in Buhari’s government blocked electoral reforms

Rotimi Amaechi, ex-minister of transportation, says attempts by the late former President Muhammadu Buhari to deliver electoral reforms were stopped by a cabal within his government.

Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the national electoral reforms summit organised by the Movement for Credible Elections (MCE), Amaechi noted that any meaningful reform must be driven by citizens rather than politicians.

“Most Nigerians who speak about this electoral reform, it depends on where their stomach is facing,” he said.

The former minister also claimed that those who thwarted Buhari’s reform efforts are serving in the current administration.

“If their stomach is facing the wrong place, they will want electoral reform. If they are chopping, they will tell you that it is wrong to eat and talk,” he said.

Amaechi said only civic determination can stop electoral malpractice.

“If you come out en masse, nobody will write any result; nobody will take away the result sheet, because anybody who takes away the result sheet is probably going to cause confusion for himself,” he said.

He expressed disappointment over the absence of former President Goodluck Jonathan and Emeka Anyaoku, erstwhile secretary-general of the Commonwealth of Nations, who were scheduled to attend the event.

Amaechi argued that resolutions from the summit would be futile if reforms are not demanded by the people.

“What will be the objective is when we all citizens gather and say, enough is enough,” he said.

He criticised the perceived co-option of organised labour and student movements into political structures.

“The politicians they arrest are politicians who are against the government in power,” he said.

Oby Ezekwesili, former minister of education, who also spoke at the event, said elections remain the backbone of democracy and argued that Nigeria has failed democratic indicators since 1999.

Ezekwesili said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should have prosecutorial powers.

“The absence of any credible investigation and conviction for electoral offences has led to a country where there is no deterrence for bad behaviour,” she said.

She said granting INEC dedicated prosecutors would ensure accountability in the electoral process.