Sen Umeh hails INEC on Anambra Election —urges Nigerians to shun vote buying and focus on good governance

By Iyojo Ameh

Senator Victor Umeh, former National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for its “remarkable improvement” in the conduct of the recent Anambra State governorship election, describing the process as transparent, credible, and largely peaceful.

Umeh, who voted alongside his wife at his polling unit, said the smooth accreditation process and the efficient use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) demonstrated INEC’s growing competence and readiness for future polls.

“Accreditation took less than a minute, and the BVAS functioned without any hitch. Within three minutes, we had completed voting. It was a remarkable improvement from past elections,” the senator said.

INEC Scores High on Transparency and Speed

According to Umeh, INEC’s performance in the election was “a relief and a sign of progress.” He revealed that unlike previous elections where complaints flooded in early, there were “no reports of malfunction or irregularities” throughout voting hours.

He noted that the real-time upload of results on the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal was a key achievement.

“By 8 p.m., 97% of polling unit results were already uploaded. I checked my ward and local government; all results were visible. When INEC later announced the final results, they matched perfectly with what was on the IReV portal,” he said.

Calls for Better Voter Privacy

Despite praising INEC’s logistics, Umeh urged the Commission to improve the privacy of voters at polling stations.

“The way people clustered around polling booths did not guarantee secrecy. Voters should be shielded so no one can see who they voted for,” he said.

Vote Buying: ‘A Sign of Poverty and Desperation’

The senator condemned the rising culture of vote buying, calling it “a moral failure and a civic tragedy.”

“₦10,000 or ₦15,000 cannot sustain a family for even 24 hours. Selling your vote for such an amount is selling your right to demand good governance,” he said.

He blamed poverty and desperation for the trend, urging citizens to reject inducements and vote for credible candidates instead.

“It’s a dangerous culture that turns democracy into a transaction. Once you sell your vote, you lose your voice,” he warned.

‘Money Should Not Decide Elections’

Umeh also condemned the desperation among politicians who use money to secure votes.

“We must remove money from our elections. Campaigns should focus on ideas and service delivery, not bribery. If you perform well in office, your good works will speak for you,” he said.

Anambra Election: A Reflection of Voter Expectations

Describing the Anambra election as credible and fair, Umeh said the outcome reflected the people’s will.

“The result matched public expectations. The candidate who won was widely predicted to win, given APGA’s dominance and the prevailing political mood,” he stated.

He also commended YPP candidate Paul Chukwuma, who, despite coming from a non-favored zone, finished third with over 37,000 votes.

Umeh explained that zoning, introduced by former Governor Peter Obi, played a crucial role in ensuring fairness in Anambra politics.

‘INEC Must Resist Fraudulent Court Orders’

Turning to the national scene, Umeh urged the new INEC Chairman, Prof. Amupitan (SAN), to reform the Commission and protect it from manipulation through frivolous court orders.

“Many of INEC’s problems are legal. Politicians get fraudulent orders from lower courts even after the Supreme Court has ruled on a matter. INEC must have the courage to ignore such orders,” he insisted.

He advised the Commission to “clean its legal table” and discard politically motivated court directives that undermine its integrity.

Looking Ahead to 2027

Umeh expressed optimism that if INEC maintains its current trajectory, Nigeria could witness one of its most credible general elections in 2027.

“By 8 p.m. on election day in 2027, all results should be live on the IReV portal nationwide. If INEC achieves that, it would have succeeded in delivering truly credible elections,” he said.

The senator urged Nigerian youths and upcoming politicians to embrace discipline, service, and integrity in public life.

“Good governance will always speak louder than money. Nigerians appreciate good leadership when they see it,” he concluded.