Former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, had condemned the ability of past administrations to deliver meaningful electoral reforms.
Speaking during a public lecture, Amaechi explained that the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari attempted to implement the reforms but failed.
He alleged that fears of foreign interference, including claims that “Russia will rig the election,” stalled the reform process.
“The problem with elections in Nigeria is that there is no incumbent government that can achieve electoral reform. None! Buhari tried it and failed. In fact, the National Assembly passed the law and dropped it on his table, and the man held his pen to sign.
“I wish I were there. I would have told him that everything has an antidote. So, if there’s a Russia, there’s an America,” Amaechi said.
He explained that efforts to amend the electoral law in 2019 were frustrated, but that Buhari became determined by 2023, viewing electoral reform as the legacy he wanted to leave behind.
However, Amaechi said entrenched interests ultimately blocked the reforms.
“When they got to the National Assembly, they did not come back. By the time they realised that they had omitted people like us who were automatic delegates by being former speakers, Buhari refused to sign.
“People around him made sure he did not sign it into law and got what they wanted. Now, those same people are back here, shouting electoral reform,” he said.
Drawing from his experience managing Buhari’s campaigns, Amaechi stressed the power of citizen mobilisation in safeguarding elections.
“We made it difficult for any Nigerian governor to go to his state and come out freely. Any day Buhari was coming to any state, the governor was on the run because the madness of the citizens chased them away,” he said.
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