By Cheta Enyoghasi
Sam Amadi, the Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the judiciary of destroying the 2023 Nigerian general elections.
Amadi, who is the former Executive Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), criticized the political strategy in Nigeria, which he claimed involves bribing INEC, judiciary, and security.
He emphasized that when an agency created under the law with an enabling act makes rules, those rules become law and m such an agency can only unmake it through the rule-making process.
He expressed shame on the 2023 election in Nigeria for being manipulated by the INEC and judiciary.
He also criticized the courts, particularly the Supreme Court, for allowing INEC to walk away from the law after failing to implement clear rules.
“Let me say this, and I’m going to be very clear. In a every country, election is one of the strategies. So in US today you see the policy people thinking around, mapping constituencies.
“In Nigeria as well, election is one of the strategies. And the strategy in Nigeria is very simple: bribe INEC, bribe the judiciary, and come and dear the security and you are done.
“The people that destroyed 2023 election is INEC and judiciary. The rules were clear. The electoral act isn’t perfect but it is very clear.
“I’m surprised that any judge who understands administrative law, which I have taught in the university for many years, which I studied under the best in world, would argue that an internal regulation built on law and an act, a regulation directing that you will do an ‘X’ you can choose to do ‘Y’, when there’s legitimate expectation and detrimental reliance. INEC was totally wrong. And the courts – Supreme Court downwards got it wrong.
“When an agency created under the law with enabling act, and the constitution says you can make rules, those rules are law. They can unmake it through rule making process. If they don’t, they are bound to obey it.
“Results should have been transmitted electronically. I am ashamed. I have a PhD in law. I can stand anywhere in the world to dispute with the brightest. I am ashamed that the court affirmed that INEC could just walk away from the law,” he said.
