Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega has said one of the problems the commission is facing is the mindset of politicians that they must win at all cost.
Jega spoke in Lagos on Saturday at the 50th birthday ceremony of the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Muiz Banire (SAN).
He said such mindset has made elections violent affairs including political thuggery, snatching of ballot boxes and assassinations.
Jega said, “INEC, as an election management body, faced perhaps its greatest challenge containing the predisposition and reckless mindset of Nigerian politicians. I quite often say that Nigeria has a special breed of politicians – ‘militicians’.
“They generally tend to believe that political power, through election, has to be captured and this has to be done by hook or by crook; and by any means necessary.
“For many, winning election is literally a do-or-die affair. That is why the Nigerian political arena increasingly resembles a bloody battlefield with maiming, killing, burning, assassinations and unimaginable destruction of lives and property.
“Navigating the minefield of do-or-die politicians as an impartial electoral umpire requires nerves of steel and requisite thick skin as well as appropriate containment.
“…As long as politicians continue to have unwholesome mindset, efforts at electoral reform and deepening democracy would remain constrained and susceptible to reversal. This is therefore a key area of priority focus as we contemplate sustainable credible elections in Nigeria.”
this expired man again………….