Prof. Bola Akinterinwa, Director General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, on Thursday noted that the 2015 general election was a critical period in the history of Nigeria.
Akinterinwa, who was Chief Returning Officer,
Independent National Electoral Commission in Lagos State, stated this at the 2015 Annual Lecture and Awards Luncheon of the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Alumni Association of Nigeria.
The DG recalled that he was very careful with the results because he did not want his name tainted.
“As the results were trickling in from wards and local governments, we were noting it down and doing calculations,” he recalled.
“I carried the results with me everywhere even to the toilet. I did not want any one to tamper with it. I and my team vowed to ensure transparency and I am glad we were able to achieve that.
“At the end, even the agents of political parties all agreed that the process was free and fair.”
Akinterinwa, however, lamented that Nigeria and Nigerians were yet to imbibe the culture of democracy.
“No democratic culture in Nigeria yet. We are just in the process to start.
“In Nigeria, many politicians have no ideology, no integrity. A politician can be PDP in the morning, APC in the afternoon, APGA at night. How long will this kind of trend continue?
“Nigerian politics has godfathers, godmothers, godfather in-laws, godfather friend and so on. These sets of persons must first endorse candidates because they have the money and connections. We have a long way to go.”
On his experience as a two-time INEC official, the DG said “I was also the Lagos Retuning Officer in 2011.
“One thing I noticed during elections is that many people voted for the person not the party.
“What this means is that the electoral law should all independent candidacy.
“Also, regional parties should be allowed. It is not fair to force people to make their party national.
“The truth is that many parties are strong only in the region they operate.”
Akinterinwa hailed President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat, saying “that single act eased the high tension in the country”.
Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, an alumnus of the association, delivered the keynote address themed: ‘Deepening the democratic culture in Nigeria’.
The Governor in his speech said, “One of the ways I am doing this is meeting with the people of Lagos every quarter.
“This has and will further help me to interact better with them, answer thir questions, listen to suggestions as well as know how my administration is making impact in their lives.”
President of the Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, Chief Olabintan Famutimi, chaired the event.
Ambode, Famutimi, Public Affairs Officer, United States Consulate General, Dehab Ghebreab, among others received awards for their contribution to the growth of the association
Every year, the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Alumni Association of Nigeria organizes a lecture to create awareness on issues of social concern in Nigeria with a view to finding solutions.
This advances the goals of the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program to promote democracy and good governance, national development, and a commitment to public service.
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