'Most people in public office today should be in prison' - Ex-INEC Commissioner Mike Igini

Former Resident Electoral Commissioner Mike Igini has stated that a majority of individuals now occupying public office should be behind bars. During an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Igini indicated that the 2027 general election will serve as a crucial assessment of Nigeria’s democracy. He emphasized that INEC, the judiciary, and politicians vying for political office will all be scrutinized.

According to Igini, many of the current public officials should be candidates for incarceration. He expressed concern over Nigeria transitioning from a rule of law to a rule of individuals, highlighting the lack of law enforcement. Igini drew attention to Section 97 of the Electoral Act, which prohibits candidates from being forced to support any political party, which he claims is being violated regularly.

He questioned why no one intervened when efforts were made to safeguard democracy in the country. Moreover, Igini cautioned that politicians have infiltrated the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) lists to manipulate elections by listing fake corps members as ad hoc staff. He concluded by asserting that if Nigeria fails to reform its political system, it will be unable to improve its economy, as development is inherently tied to political processes.