QUESTION: Can Amina Zakari, Buhari’s ‘Relative’, Influence 2019 Election Results?

It will be recalled that it was at the collation stage that
the military Junta led by General (rtd.) Ibrahim Gbadamosi
Babangida scuttled the 1993 election, aborting what would have been
the Third Republic. Fresh in recent memory is the drama enacted by
Godsday Orubebe, a former minister and loyalist of former President
Goodluck Jonathan, at the International Conference Centre (ICC),
which served as the National Collation Centre for the 2015
presidential election. The purpose of Orubebe’s momentary
disruption and outburst was to render the election
inconclusive…

The year 2019, as nascent as it is, is already bristling with
all manner of emotions. From anticipation to hope; from fear to
even despair. The chaos of emotions is not unfounded. It is an
election year; and if the history of elections is anything to go
by, Nigerians have every reason to let their emotions run
chaotic.

These emotions, especially fear, heightened on Thursday when the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced Amina
Zakari, supposed niece of President Muhammadu Buhari, as Head of
Collation Centre for the 2019 elections. While some, led by the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have described the appointment of
Zakari as a ploy to rig the 2019 elections, others see the brouhaha
surrounding her appointment as making a mountain out of a molehill.
But indeed, how powerful and influential is Zakari’s office.

What Is Collation?

Collation is the tabulation or summation of the votes cast
during an election. It is a graphic reflection of the decision
taken by the electorate who have exercised their franchise at the
poll. There are various levels of collation depending on the type
of elections. However, for the sake of credibility, at each level
there is always an announcement of votes scored by each party
participating in the election.

Levels of Collation

There are various levels. Results are collated and/or declared
at a number of levels depending on the type of election. These
include:

Registration Area (RA) Ward

Local Government Area (LGA)

State Assembly Constituency

Federal (House of Representatives) Constituency

Senatorial District

State

Collation and declaration of presidential election result at
national level

How Significant Is Collation?

For an election to be successful and credible, it demands proper
planning and efficient conduct. The outcome of an election is a
culmination of five processes: accreditation, voting, counting,
collation and results declaration. Though the first three processes
are important, the last two are the critical stages. They can make
or mar the whole electoral exercise. If either of these two
processes stalls the essence of the exercise might be jeopardized.
It is during collation that the results of an election can be
doctored to satisfy selfish end and defeat the purpose of
election.

It will be recalled that it was at this stage that the military
Junta led by General (rtd.) Ibrahim Gbadamosi Babangida scuttled
the 1993 election, aborting what would have been the Third
Republic. Fresh in recent memory is the drama enacted by Godsday
Orubebe, a former minister and loyalist of former President
Goodluck Jonathan, at the International Conference Centre (ICC),
which served as the National Collation Centre for the 2015
presidential election. The purpose of Orubebe’s momentary
disruption and outburst was to render the election inconclusive,
having realised that the results were unfavourable to his master’s
reelection ambition. That should tell us the significance of
collation.

Functions of the Head of Collation Centre

While the fuss about the appointment of Amina Zakari as Head of
Collation Centre may not be misplaced or unjustified, the office
may not be as powerful as thought.

Findings by SaharaReporters showed that there are 12 members in
the aad hoc committee for the National Collation Centre. The
committee will ensure that facilities such as power, access to the
internet, live transmission for national and international
observers as well as security of the venue are put in place.

This is what Zakari, as the chair of the committee, will lead
other members in doing. In other words, Zakari is not the Returning
Officer at the national level; the INEC Chairman has that onus but
inalienable responsibility. Zakari’s brief is to provide logistics
and administrative support to the collation centre. The roles spelt
out by the INEC make her incapable of influencing the results of
the elections.

The Presidency explained on Friday that there is no blood
relationship betweeen Buhari and Zakari, but even in that same
press statement it admitted that “an inter-marriage occurred in
their extended families”. That is implicating enough for the public
to fault or question the ethical soundness of the appointment of
Buhari’s supposed niece into that kind of office. Nepotism is one
thing, the opportunity to use it to one’s advantage is another.
Zakari’s presence in INEC will always draw suspicion, but can she
single-handedly rig the election in Buhari’s favour? Absolutely
not!