Senior lawyer and political commentator, Jibrin Okutepa, has raised concerns over what he described as disturbing flaws and voter apathy observed during recent political party primaries in Nigeria, warning that the country’s democratic practice may be under serious threat.
In a strongly worded post on his X account on Wednesday, Okutepa questioned the readiness of Nigerians for full democratic participation, citing irregularities in the direct primary system where party members physically queue behind candidates and votes are counted manually.
“Are some Nigerians ready for democracy? This question keeps agitating my mind given what I saw some Nigerians did in the recently concluded political parties primaries,” he said.
He explained that under the Electoral Act, political parties are permitted to adopt direct primaries, where members line up behind candidates’ portraits and votes are counted publicly to determine winners at ward level.
According to him, the process is designed to ensure transparency, with ordinary citizens responsible for both lining up and counting votes in a visible and open manner.
“These Nigerians therefore are to be vigilant against corruption and manipulation of their votes to be counted by someone selected to do so,” he noted.
However, Okutepa expressed shock at what he described as irregular counting patterns and lack of protest from participants during the exercise, suggesting that electoral manipulation may be becoming normalized.
“You hear something like 1, 2, 3, 20, 100, 500 and then 1000, 2000 and so on… and nobody on the lines protested,” he observed.
He warned that such silence and acceptance of irregularities raises troubling questions about civic awareness and democratic responsibility among citizens.
“This brings to the question earlier asked and further makes me to wonder whether corruption and corrupt influences have become part and parcel of the DNA of most members of Nigerian political parties,” he said.
Okutepa further cautioned that democracy in Nigeria is at risk if citizens fail to defend their electoral power and remain passive in the face of manipulation.
“Democracy in Nigeria in my view is in danger. Sovereignty belongs to the people. Yet it appears the people do not know the power they wield,” he stated.
He stressed the need for political education, warning that illiteracy and blind political loyalty are weakening democratic institutions.
“There is a need for massive political education. Political illiteracy and blind loyalty even in suffering is threatening democratic survival in Nigeria,” he added.
