The technical problems recorded during the November 3 midterm elections in the United States offer an important lesson for Nigeria as the country prepares for another round of elections. They remind us that even advanced democracies, with their sophisticated voting systems and long electoral experience, are not immune to equipment failures, human errors and logistical problems.
In parts of New York, ballot scanners malfunctioned, leaving election officials with the task of securing affected ballots for later counting. In Broward County, Florida, a software problem delayed voting. In Kansas, a polling station reportedly received only 100 paper ballots instead of the 1,000 required. These incidents were serious enough to attract public attention but they did not, by themselves, establish that the elections had been rigged.
Nigeria should learn from this distinction, particularly in view of the bitter controversy that followed the 2023 presidential election.
The failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to upload presidential election results promptly to its Result Viewing Portal (IReV) became the central argument of opposition parties that the election had been manipulated. The technical failure was unfortunate and INEC deserved criticism for not meeting public expectations. However, the opposition went beyond questioning the failure to presenting it as evidence of widespread rigging in favour of Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who was eventually declared winner.
More than three years later, the same allegation continues to feature prominently in political discussions. INEC has remained the whipping boy of opposition politicians and commentators, many of whom appear unwilling to distinguish between a technical failure and proven electoral fraud.
There is another side to the 2023 election that deserves attention. Tinubu lost Lagos State, where he built his political career, to the Labour Party’s Peter Obi. He also lost Osun State, his ancestral state, to the Peoples Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar. He was defeated in Kano by Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party and in Katsina and Kaduna by Atiku. These were major political setbacks in states with large numbers of voters.
How could a candidate supposedly in complete control of an elaborate rigging machinery lose such important states? These results do not, on their own, prove that every aspect of the election was flawless. But they raise serious questions about the sweeping claim that the entire electoral process was designed to deliver victory to Tinubu.
The circumstances surrounding the election also deserve examination. Tinubu went into the contest amid serious economic difficulties, including the controversial naira redesign and widespread petrol scarcity. Both measures caused hardship and public anger. There were allegations within his political camp that the policies were intended to weaken his electoral chances, even though the government responsible for them belonged to his own party.
The prolonged university lecturers’ strike in 2022 also contributed to public dissatisfaction with the outgoing administration, although it would be misleading to describe the strike as a proven attempt to undermine Tinubu. Despite these difficulties, he won the election.
It is therefore unreasonable to treat the IReV failure alone as conclusive proof that Tinubu rigged his way to power. Allegations of electoral fraud require credible evidence, not merely political suspicion. The courts examined the petitions arising from the election and upheld the declared result. That judicial outcome does not mean every complaint about the conduct of the election was without merit, but it remains an important part of the legal record.
The role of the media also calls for serious reflection. Some television stations have repeatedly provided platforms for politicians and commentators to attack INEC over the 2023 technical failure. There is nothing wrong with holding the electoral commission accountable. Indeed, that is part of the media’s responsibility. The problem arises when allegations are repeated without sufficient examination or when political opinions are presented as established facts.
Now that similar technical problems have occurred in the United States, Nigerian television stations have an opportunity to examine the comparison. Will they invite analysts to explain how American election officials handle scanner failures, delayed counting and emergency voting procedures? Will they give these issues the same attention they have devoted to INEC’s shortcomings? Such discussions would help Nigerians understand that technical failures can occur even in well-established democracies.
With the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, the opposition appears determined to demand nothing short of perfection from INEC. Some political figures have warned of serious consequences if the commission fails to deliver credible elections. Their demand for transparency is legitimate but threats of disorder are not.
INEC must prepare thoroughly, test its equipment, train its personnel, communicate clearly and establish reliable procedures for dealing with technical failures. Nigerians have every right to expect improvements after the lessons of 2023. However, no electoral commission anywhere can guarantee that every machine, network or logistical arrangement will function perfectly throughout an election.
Political parties must therefore avoid preparing the public to reject the election simply because a technical problem occurs. The proper questions should be whether the problem affected the integrity of the votes, whether it was promptly addressed and whether there is evidence of deliberate wrongdoing.
Above all, Nigeria belongs to every Nigerian. No political party, candidate or group has a monopoly on patriotism. Those who win elections are not necessarily more patriotic than those who lose, and those who lose must not assume that their opponents have stolen the people’s mandate.
The courts remain the lawful avenue for resolving electoral disputes. Any party alleging manipulation must gather its evidence through lawful means and present it before the appropriate tribunal or court. Resorting to threats, intimidation or violence cannot strengthen democracy.
The 2027 elections must be credible, transparent and peaceful. INEC must be accountable, the media must be responsible, and political parties must respect the law. A technical glitch is a problem to be corrected, not an automatic licence to declare an election fraudulent or threaten the peace of the country.
