Elections: Our Current Democracy Is Blemished – Ezekwesili

Former Minister of Education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, has criticised the nation’s democratic process saying it is blemished.

Ezekwesili, who was a keynote speaker at a lecture to mark the 85th birthday of Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka organized by his Centre for Investigative Journalism, said the process has failed to deliver its desired outcome of the masses.

“Our current democracy is blemished because of its inability to deliver the desired outcome for citizens,” she said on Saturday.

While calling on Nigerians to rise and contribute to the democratic process, she said: “We must all rise to demand a complete rethink of the kind of democratic processes that lead to poor governance.”

Reacting, the Director, Voter Education and Publicity of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi said the Commission has no power to sanction or disqualify perpetrators of electoral violence.

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Speaking on the theme, “Rethinking Credible Elections, Accountable Democracy and Good Governance in Nigeria,” Osaze-Uzzi believes that the nation’s electoral process can be improved upon.

“Some people blame INEC as an electoral management body that why can’t people be sanctioned? People guilty of violence or sponsoring electoral malpractices, why can’t INEC sanction them and disqualify them? I’m sorry, INEC has no such powers.”