- Says security operatives also compromise electoral processes
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The President of Adeleke University and visionary founder of Adeleke University, Ede, Dr Deji Adeleke, says no matter the competency displayed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the real battle for electoral integrity takes place on the dusty floors of local polling units with the field operators fully in charge.
Consequently, he said sweeping and meaningful reforms are doomed without a fundamental change in the character and attitude of those entrusted with the electoral process, especially at the grassroots level.
Shifting the spotlight in Nigeria’s electoral integrity debate away from INEC to field officials, Adeleke insisted that everyone involved in the process must act with honesty and transparency, warning that the destiny of the ballot rests squarely in the hands of the on-the-ground officials trusted to oversee the process.
He said such officials, be they permanent or ad-hoc staff, must be ready to make basic human honesty the ultimate prerequisite for democracy.
Adeleke, who addressed graduates at the University’s 12th undergraduate and eighth post-graduate convocation in Ede, Osun State, said the credibility of Nigeria’s elections rests largely on the conduct of officials deployed to polling units and other areas along the electoral chain.
Further explaining that the electoral process’ integrity depends less on the leadership of INEC compared to the attitude exhibited by thousands of ad hoc officials and security personnel assigned to election duties across the country, Dr Adeleke, who is also Chief Executive Officer of Pacific Holdings Limited, alleged that some members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) recruited as ad hoc staff and police officers assigned to election duties compromise the process by altering results after accepting financial inducements.
He said expecting the INEC boss to guarantee transparent elections without the cooperation of field officials is unrealistic because the Commission’s leadership cannot physically monitor every polling unit, adding that “People die, there is violence during elections. They have killed young people like you graduating today who might become adult staff of INEC, changing figures.
“You cannot blame that on the INEC chairman when youth corps members are collecting N50,000 and changing figures at the polling unit. Even if the INEC chairman is a spirit, is he going to be at all the polling units in Nigeria?
“Very soon we are going to have an election in Osun State. Osun State has 3,763 polling units. Is it humanly possible for the INEC chairman to be at all those polling units at the same time?”
Drawing attention to the forthcoming Osun governorship election, Adeleke said given the huge number of polling units to cover, direct supervision by the electoral umpire will continue to prove a difficult if not an impossible task, adding: “But they have entrusted it to young people like you, and yet they will collect money and change the figures. We also have policemen with children who need a good country to have a future, aiding and abetting the rigging process, and people are killed just because of elections.
“So, it’s very painful when you see these things happen because of ignorance of the implications of what people do on election day or the ignorance of judges perverting justice. The implication is that Nigeria will continue to regret it if it doesn’t change immediately. But it’s not too late for us to change. It’s never too late to start all over.”
Meanwhile, Adeleke University has announced another expansion of its academic offerings with the approval of two professional programmes by the National Universities Commission.
According to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Solomon Adebola, the university would commence admissions into Medicine (MBBS) and Pharmacy (Pharm.D) in the 2026/2027 academic session following regulatory approval, adding that the institution admitted 1,554 students during the 2025/2026 academic session and graduated 1,375 students across its undergraduate faculties and College of Postgraduate Studies.
The Vice Chancellor said out of the graduating cohort, Ejiofor Onyinyechukwu Sonia of Medical Laboratory Science and Kinosi Victor Oluwagbemiga of Economics emerged as the ultimate undergraduate standard-bearers, securing perfect 5.00 CGPAs.
He also celebrated these unprecedented triumphs alongside overall best Master’s graduate Olunlade Joshua Oluwafisayo and top PhD achiever Ukenyi Chibunna Godspower, the University leadership challenged the newly minted alumni to boldly embrace the opportunities and responsibilities ahead.
