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The senator representing Sokoto South senatorial district in the National Assembly, Amina Tambuwal, has said that the exploitation of the loopholes in the electoral system has led to the present state of the country’s polls.
Speaking on ‘Prime Time’, an Arise Television programme on Monday, the former Governor of Sokoto State also blamed systemic flaws and the compromise by electoral officials for the credibility of elections in the country.
The former Speaker of the House of Representatives stated that elections in the country are not entirely determined by the electorate or do not reflect the people’s will.
According to him, misrepresentation of voters’ choices occurs at multiple stages of the electoral process, from polling units to final collation at the national level.
“It is not completely decided by the electorate. I can say that without mincing words. From polling units to wards, local governments, states and even at the national level, things happen that misrepresent what voters actually voted for,” he said.
The former governor attributed the problem to a combination of systemic weaknesses, compromises by officials, and deliberate actions by politicians to take advantage of gaps in the system.
“The system is compromised through INEC, the courts and the politicians because politicians try to find corners to cut. So wherever there’s a loophole, politicians take advantage of that loophole,” Tambuwal stated.
He further identified challenges faced by the Independent National Electoral Commission, including technological failures, delayed commencement of polls, non-transmission of results, and compromise of officials.
“It is a combination of both. Politicians exploit loopholes wherever they exist. INEC also has challenges, from failure of technology, late commencement of elections, failure to transmit results, and compromise of officials,” he added.
Tambuwal expressed strong support for comprehensive electoral reforms, particularly the electronic transmission of results, saying he would support any measure that strengthens the process, even if it costs him an election.
“I wholeheartedly support any reform that will improve the electoral process, including electronic transmission, even if I lose an election because of it,” he said.
He also criticised the ideological foundation of most political parties in the country, arguing that many exist merely as platforms for acquiring power rather than being driven by clear principles.
“If it’s about ideology, what was President Muhammadu Buhari doing in the APC with some characters that we have in the APC? I don’t want to mention names, but if you look at President Muhammadu Buhari, then, the way he was perceived, what was he doing with some characters in politics?” Tambuwal asked.
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