Former Minister of Transportation and ex-Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has reignited debate over electoral integrity, naming two past INEC chairmen whose tenures he says produced Nigeria’s most flawed polls since the return to democracy in 1999. Speaking on Arise TV on June 3, 2025, Amaechi contrasted the transparent stewardship of Prof. Attahiru Jega (2010–2015) with what he called the deeply compromised administrations of Prof. Maurice Iwu (2005–2010) and current INEC chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
Jega vs. Iwu and Yakubu
Amaechi praised Jega’s use of Option A4, the open-ballot system that underpinned the landmark 2015 elections, as the model of fairness that enabled the then-opposition APC to defeat the entrenched PDP. “May God bless Jega. Because the ground rules were clear,” he said. By contrast, Amaechi alleged that both Iwu’s and Yakubu’s commissions presided over “manipulated” vote counts, overvoting, and opaque collation processes that eroded public confidence.
“If Yakubu had been INEC chairman in 2015, APC wouldn’t have won,” Amaechi asserted, drawing a direct line between leadership style and electoral outcomes.
Historical Context
Maurice Iwu (2005–2010): Oversaw the contentious 2007 polls, widely condemned for ballot-box stuffing and result tampering—criticized even by then-President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
Mahmood Yakubu (2015–Present): Accused of bias in the 2023 general election, marked by delayed results and logistical glitches that fans concern over INEC’s neutrality
Amaechi warns that repeating these “worst elections” risks further delegitimizing Nigeria’s democratic institutions ahead of the crucial 2027 polls.
What This Means for 2027
By spotlighting past failings, Amaechi—now part of the opposition coalition—urges INEC to adopt stricter transparency measures: real-time result uploads, independent audits, and open-ballot collation. His critique underscores a broader public demand for accountability and reform if Nigeria is to restore faith in its electoral process.
Final Thoughts
As discussions heat up around electoral laws and INEC’s mandate, Amaechi’s stark comparison between two eras of commission leadership serves as both a cautionary tale and a rallying cry. Whether INEC heeds these warnings will shape the credibility of Nigeria’s next general election—and the strength of its democracy.
