2023 Election: INEC More Corrupt Than Police – Odinkalu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been accused to be more corrupt than the Nigerian Police Force.

The allegation was levelled against the electoral body week before the presidential election by the former Chairman of Nigeria National Human Rights Commission(NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu.

Odinkalu accused the electoral umpire in Abuja on Friday at a Colloquium tagged ‘Nigeria in 2023: What does Nigeria need now? organised by Fundacion Exito.

The human activist claimed that INEC is the most corrupt federal government agency in Nigeria, Naija News understands.

According to him, the corruption in INEC only happens every four when they collect big money.

He explained that the difference between INEC and the police force was that their own corruption is seasonal.

Odinkalu further asserted that everybody in INEC is corrupt, from its chairman to the cleaner.

He said that for Nigeria to get it right, INEC and the judiciary must attain a certain height of perfection.

He submitted that “Everybody in INEC from the Chairman to the cleaners are corrupt.

“INEC is more corrupt than the police. The difference is that their corruption is seasonal. It is programmed. It happens every four years when they collect big money.”

It was gathered that one of the Directors of the civil society organisation at the occasion, Dominic Obuzuwa said “The citizens are not focusing on the right issues. It’s not about the North and South. Our competition as a nation is not about North and South, it’s not about Christian or Muslim.

“It’s not about political parties. It’s about the fact that we need to be globally competitive. As a country, can Nigeria stand toe to toe with Malaysia in terms of economic development? Can Nigeria stand toe to toe with the United Arab Emirates in terms of economic development?

“Now these are countries that have benefited from Nigeria at one point or the other. But we find that over the years the political class has created a narrative that has turned one citizen against another so that they can perpetuate themselves into office.

“This creates several issues, the fuel scarcity, for instance, is man-made. The scarcity of the Naira presently is man-made. The problems that bedevil the country are man-made.

“When Nigerians go to the polls, they must not vote because they’re from the South or North, because they’re APC or PDP, Christian or Muslim but because they’re Nigerians who want a better country in four years’ time.

“They must look at the character, competency and credibility of candidates. There are issues of inclusion and development and not about the state of origin, religion, region, tribe etc. It’s about the next four years.”