The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can conduct a popular and acceptable election similar to the annulled June 12, 1993 polls only when politicians in the country change their attitude to politics and electioneering.
The above was part of the submissions by stakeholders at the end of a one-day forum on democracy and Social Justice held in Abuja.

Participants at the event with the theme “ INEC and the future of Democracy in Nigeria” were unanimous that politicians needed a thorough re-branding of their attitude to politics.
In his paper, Nigerian-born American Professor Mathew Atobe, said that good governance shall hold sway in the country when there was accountability, transparency, responsibility, efficiency, equitability and a consensus-oriented political culture in the nation.

He argued that good governance would only thrive when every interested Nigerian was given an opportunity of participating in all levels of politics without fear of being harmed.
Also another don, Prof. Mike Ikhariale in his paper, stressed the need for politicians to reverse the culture of “do or die” for the INEC to be an unbiased umpire in future polls.
He explained that the problem was not the law but the politicians, who had always gone out of their way to engage in electoral fraud, using the Commission as a tool.

National Secretary of National Conscience Party, Yunusa Tanko in his paper, recalled the good old days of the political class which honoured their different ideologies, as against thuggery and electoral fraud.
Tanko enjoined the Federal Government to accept without amendment the Justice Mohammed Uwais Electoral report and heed good opinion and enjoy the latter benefits.
Civil Rights activist cum Journalist, Mr. Sina Loremikan argued that the nation would not find political greatness for as long as the electoral system remained faulty.

He contended that the INEC must be truly independent of government and any political interest, to give the nation a credible political roadmap to the future.

Loremikan stressed that the known political culture of electoral malpractices dating back to the 1970s including ineffective funding of the INEC, insecurity, electoral compromise, late and even non-availability of electoral materials among others had continued to make the nation a laughing stock among the comity of nations.

Daily Times former Political Editor, Emeka Nwosu queried the right of government to appoint the leadership of INEC, the use of ad-hoc staff at elections, and the misappropriation of funds allocated to elections, saying that the loyalty of the Commission would always lean towards the benefactor.
Nwosu however commended the Justice Uwais report as it affected election riggers and urged the Media to continue holding government accountable to the people.

In his remarks, Civil Rights Journalist and Legal Practitioner, Mr.Richard Akinnola recalled the ugly political situation in the country and in particular the 2007 general elections, saying that politicians were the problem of the system, using the INEC as umpire.
He alleged that in many cases, elections were rigged between the polling and collating centres when authentic and fake results were presented.


http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2009/june/07/national-07-06-2009-06.htm

And who's to say the next honest election won't be annulled?