The Senator representing Bayelsa West, Senator Seriake Dickson, on Wednesday made a strong case for far-reaching electoral reforms during plenary as the Senate debated the Electoral Act Amendment Bill. Speaking passionately on the floor of the Senate, Dickson said the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy depends on how well the nation can sustain and deepen its electoral system, warning that democracy will lose meaning if the country fails to get its elections right.
Dickson, a member of the Committee on Electoral Matters, said as the matter came up for debate, “Having listened to the in-debate and all the very moving and passionate contributions of all members with which I totally agree, I just felt I should add a thing or two. There is no doubt, as has been said, that if there is one pressing matter before this 10th Senate, it is the issue of how we sustain and deepen our in-face electoral system. Because if that fails, then there will only be a democracy in name,” Dickson stated.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s past elections, the former governor of Bayelsa State lamented that despite past promises to reform the system, the country seems to be regressing instead of improving.
“It is a great shame that election period after election period, we seem to be regressing. I know that in this country, in 2007, President Yar’Adua, right there on the inaugural podium, restated his determination to review the electoral system that brought him into office. After Yar’Adua, in 2015, a sitting president who appeared to be losing, without even waiting for the final tally to be called, President Jonathan — and by the way, from the great state of Bayelsa too — made that historic call. And I was there in the room with him. The effort was to deepen and elevate Nigeria’s democracy. And then after 2019, we didn’t see how that improved our system.”
He expressed disappointment that Nigeria had not built on the earlier momentum for electoral reform, noting that other African countries such as Ghana have overtaken Nigeria in electoral transparency and political maturity.
“Now it’s as if, I don’t want to say smaller countries, but we are the giant of Africa, and we remain so, by history and by design. It is other countries now that are taking the shine. And I say so painfully, with reference to the last presidential elections in Ghana, where the candidate of the ruling party, Dr. Bawumia, candidate of NPP, vice president of the sitting president, Akufo-Addo, before even the tally was completed, placed a call to current president, John Mahama, and stole the show as if it were from us, Nigeria.”
Calling for urgent action, Senator Dickson urged the Senate under the leadership of Senate President Godswill Akpabio to make electoral reform a key achievement of the 10th National Assembly. He emphasized the need for greater deployment of technology by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), coupled with adequate funding to improve the integrity of elections.
“In India, where you have over a billion people voting — a diverse nation, which is a continent of its own — they spend two, three weeks doing elections because of the size. But you hardly hear people go to court, challenging or killing themselves, and so on. And they all have their differences too — ethnic, tribe, religion, and all of that. So, Mr. President, we have an opportunity. I know that we have moved from card readers to BVAS. We should authorize INEC to deploy more technology, and we should support them with funding.”
He also highlighted the conduct of political parties as a major challenge to Nigeria’s democratic stability, calling for new regulatory measures to enforce internal democracy and discipline.
“Our political parties are the biggest challenge to our democracy. We have to look for a way by which we can introduce some regulation and control on that behavior or on democratic behavior.”
Perhaps the most striking part of his contribution came when he proposed a legal shift in the burden of proof in electoral disputes, arguing that INEC, not aggrieved candidates, should be responsible for demonstrating that elections were free, fair, and credible.
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“The burden of proof in electoral matters, Mr. President, must shift to INEC. That is where it rightly and properly belongs. We should not subject it to the normal evidential rule that says he who alleges must prove. How can you prove something you don’t even know? INEC is an electoral body conducting elections. INEC appoints people — a candidate and party have no control over them. INEC does whatever they do, juggles figures, and announces. They do cancellations, they explain to no candidate, they explain to no party. And yet, the law says, if you challenge it, he who alleges must prove. In every other matter, that may very well be the case. That’s a common law. But we must make a change in our reviews in the Electoral Act now, requiring that for electoral matters, which are, as we lawyers say, sui generis’ a particular class of their own, we must shift that burden. The burden of proving that the elections have been conducted peacefully, and in accordance with law, must shift to INEC.”
Dickson revealed that the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters would be meeting in Lagos to further review proposals aimed at strengthening the nation’s electoral framework.
“I’m sure when we assemble in Lagos tomorrow, Mr. President, we’ll be meeting your committee to again review some of the proposals that we have been taking reforms in,” he said.
He concluded his remarks with an appeal for unity and a collective commitment to building a stronger and more credible democracy.
His call for INEC to bear the burden of electoral proof, many agreed, could mark a new chapter in Nigeria’s pursuit of credible and transparent elections if adopted in the forthcoming amendment of the Electoral Act.