Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has asserted that Nigerian academics, particularly university professors, have consistently resisted bribes from politicians during elections.
Jega made this known on Thursday during The Platform, a socio-political programme hosted in Lagos by Covenant Nation as part of events marking Democracy Day (June 12).
He emphasized the role of academics in enhancing the credibility and transparency of Nigeria’s electoral process.
Jega, who chaired INEC from 2010 to 2015, pioneered the engagement of vice-chancellors and other university professors as returning officers and ad hoc electoral staff.
He said their inclusion was based on a transparent and rigorous selection process that prioritized integrity and professionalism.
“Election was terrible by the time we came to INEC,” Jega said. “I was lucky; I was a co-chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors before I joined INEC, so I used that connection to bring in trustworthy academic staff.”
According to the former INEC boss, the contributions of the academic community have remained invaluable, despite isolated incidents involving a few professors who were later prosecuted for electoral misconduct.
“The fact that one or two professors have been prosecuted should not overshadow the integrity the majority have upheld,” Jega noted.
“A vice chancellor with 35 years in the university system, close to retirement, is unlikely to tarnish a reputation built over decades just to manipulate an election.”
He added that even after the 2011 elections, professional bodies like the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) expressed interest in participating in the electoral process, but INEC chose to continue working with academics because of the proven success of the system.
“In our judgment, when something works, you don’t change it. The professors brought a level of trust and discipline that was critical in restoring confidence in our elections,” Jega said.
