Professor Adele Jinadu is a respected political scientist. He is raising concerns about the 2027 general elections in Nigeria. He expressed this position in Abuja during a policy dialogue on anti-corruption.
First, he wants the anti-graft agency, EFCC, to focus on party primaries where large sums of money, including dollars, are being exchanged and not on poor voters who receive minimal amounts of 2,000 naira.
He accused the nation’s political elite of laying the groundwork for election rigging, as reported by Vanguard.
Professor Jinadu is the former President of the Nigerian Political Science Association, Secretary-General and President of the African Association of Political Science, and Vice President of the International Political Science Association.
Also, he served as a commissioner in the National Electoral Commission (now INEC) and as Director-General of the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON).
Speaking during a policy dialogue on anti-corruption in Abuja, Prof. Jinadu urged Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies, particularly the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to prioritise investigations into the massive spending during party primaries.
Vote Buying And EFCC
He criticised the current focus on minor voter inducement cases, emphasising the more significant threat posed by the extravagant use of public funds and foreign currencies by political elites to secure party tickets.
“Vote buying is done through procurement.
They are amassing war chests for 2027. EFCC should go to party primaries where they give huge amounts of not only naira but even dollars to buy party tickets, instead of going after poor voters who get just ₦2,000 or ₦4,000,” he said.
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Prof. Jinadu also expressed concerns about the neutrality of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Also, be cited the appointment of politically affiliated commissioners.
Furthermore, he argued that such practices, combined with frequent leadership changes in anti-corruption agencies, had weakened Nigeria’s anti-corruption efforts and jeopardised the credibility of its electoral process.
