ONE of the sad national attributes of Nigeria is that we are a nation that moves around in circles rather than forward. We never learn from our mistakes, and so, we are condemned to repeat them over and over.

Granted, reforms are regular features in any thriving democracy. A system that is well-greased by frequent upgrades grows from strength to strength and soon becomes a shining example to others. But in Nigeria, reforms usually take us back to square one each time, because our political elite has turned our democracy into a criminal enterprise. Contrived “mistakes” have become winning political strategies.

All the constitutional conferences, constituent assemblies, constitution drafting efforts and electoral reform panels that have been held in Nigeria between 1978 and now have all pursued the goal of making Nigeria a model of democracy in Africa and the world at large.

The most serious post-military effort at reforming our elections was carried out by the regime of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua. He empanelled the Justice Mohammed Uwais Committee on Electoral Reform after admitting that the election that produced him was flawed.

The basis of the Uwais Panel Report was the reformation of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to secure its independence. Unfortunately, the Yar’Adua government refused to give up the president’s power to appoint the INEC Chairman, Board members and State Electoral Commissioners, RECs, as recommended by the Uwais Panel.

The rejection of the Panel’s call for the Electoral Umpire to be appointed by the Nigerian Judicial Council, NJC, subject to the approval of the National Assembly, made INEC once again prone to state capture. It allows a player to appoint and fund the referee. This can never produce an independent arbiter. He who pays the piper must call the tune.

As long as the president retains the power to appoint the helmsmen of the Electoral Umpire, the “Independent” in INEC’s name will remain a joke. Former INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, introduced some technological innovations which allowed Nigerians to replace President Goodluck Jonathan with Muhammadu Buhari.

As soon as Buhari assumed power, he returned INEC to a mere federal agency and lapdog of the ruling party. Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s exaggerated pretences at using electronic tools to minimise human interference in our elections mysteriously flopped on the presidential election portal while the National Assembly polls proceeded seamlessly.

Prof. Yakubu’s INEC showed that even technological innovation is no guarantee against stolen elections.

In view of the foregoing, any talk of electoral reforms in future must return to the task of creating an Electoral Umpire which will be beyond state control. We must revisit the Justice Uwais Panel Report.