Activist lawyer and human rights advocate, Maduabuchi Idam, has expressed doubts about the credibility of the forthcoming Osun State governorship election, warning Nigerians not to expect a free and fair poll.
Idam made the comment while reacting to preparations for the governorship election scheduled to hold next Saturday in Osun State.
According to the lawyer, the political environment surrounding the election does not give him confidence that the exercise will meet the expectations of a transparent and credible democratic process.
In a statement, Idam said expecting a free and fair governorship election in Osun State would be unrealistic under the prevailing circumstances.
He likened such expectations to hoping that the Nigerian naira would attain parity with the United States dollar.
“Expecting a free and fair election in Osun State is like expecting N1 to equal $1,” Idam said.
His comment has sparked discussions about the credibility of elections in Nigeria, particularly concerns surrounding political interference, vote buying, the use of state resources, electoral violence and the independence of institutions responsible for conducting and monitoring elections.
The Osun governorship election is expected to attract significant attention as political parties and their candidates intensify campaigns ahead of the poll.
The election will also provide an opportunity for voters in the state to choose the candidate who will govern Osun for the next term.
Idam’s remarks come amid longstanding calls from civil society organisations, political observers and other stakeholders for stronger measures to guarantee free, fair and transparent elections in Nigeria.
However, his assessment remains an opinion, and it is not yet clear what specific evidence informed his prediction about the outcome or credibility of the forthcoming election.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is expected to oversee the election, while security agencies are expected to provide security before, during and after voting.
Political parties and other stakeholders have also been urged to conduct themselves peacefully and respect the electoral process as voters prepare to exercise their franchise.
