Recent media reports that officials of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), are under pressure to do wrong should be a source of worry to many people, especially at this eve of general elections.

The transmission of partisan information through the electronic media which is generally referred to as political broadcast involves several materials. These range from political party manifestos, slogans, jingles, emblems and election promises. The significance of political broadcasts is that they offer opportunities to all political parties to publicise their manifestos and other party activities.

According to media reports, there are hundreds of unresolved election cases concerning next month’s general elections in the country. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), appears to be the hardest hit by the development following the claim by its Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, that no fewer than 150 pre-election cases had been filed against it nationwide by aggrieved politicians.

Since a couple of days back when the Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Mohammed Abba-Aji, made public his threat to frustrate the Freedom of Information (FoI) Bill, many people have reacted violently against him. I don’t think they know what Abba-Aji is capable of doing. For me, I have chosen to fervently beg him not to carry out his threat in view of the pedigree of his ingenuity.

Pioneer African nationalist leaders who fought for independence were no doubt gallant agitators but they certainly were not democrats. What they sought after was power not democracy.