Renowned activist Aisha Yesufu has decried the lack of credibility in Africa’s electoral systems, calling it a “civilian coup” when political mandates are stolen from the people. Speaking at ICAD 2025 panel session on the theme “The African Path to Electoral Integrity: Rethinking Elections Through Afro Best Practices”, Yesufu emphasized that democracy begins with a free, fair, and violence-free electoral process.
“When elections are rigged, it’s no different from a civilian coup. The people lose their power, and we begin to see impunity thrive,” she said.
Yesufu lamented that Nigeria’s institutions, particularly the judiciary, have become complicit in undermining democracy. She cited the alarming trend of judicial shopping, where litigants bypass local jurisdictions to seek favorable rulings in distant states.
“Today, people leave places like Agbede in Edo State to file cases in Jigawa, all in search of biased judgments. Even when courts issue rulings, they sometimes merely give opinions rather than clear, categorical judgments,” she stated, referencing discrepancies in high-profile rulings like that of Natasha Akpoti.
The activist stressed that such failures in the judicial and electoral systems are signs of deep institutional capture. According to her, reforms must be comprehensive, extending beyond elections to restoring citizen agency and strengthening all arms of government.
“The judiciary is no longer the last hope of the common man. It now bows to corrupt politicians,” she said. “But no Nigerian is more Nigerian than another. We must rise together to reclaim our democracy.”
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