Jega Defends Professors: ‘Most Rejected Bribes During Elections’
Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has spoken out in strong defence of Nigerian academics, praising their critical role in upholding the credibility of the country’s elections.
Speaking during The Platform, a Democracy Day special organised by Covenant Nation in Lagos, Jega said that the majority of university professors involved in election duties have consistently rejected financial inducements from politicians.
Jega, who served as INEC Chairman from 2010 to 2015, is credited with introducing the use of vice-chancellors and professors as returning officers and ad-hoc staff. He described the move as a major turning point in restoring trust to the electoral process.
“Up till 2015, professors brought a high level of integrity to our elections. Many have consistently refused bribes and protected their reputations,” he stated.
He defended the continued involvement of academics in elections, despite a few isolated cases of misconduct, insisting that a handful of bad actors should not tarnish the record of the majority.
Jega also revealed that after the 2011 general elections, professional bodies like the Nigerian Bar Association and Nigerian Society of Engineers expressed interest in election duties. However, INEC declined.
“When something is working, why change it?” Jega said. “Academics had shown they were neutral, efficient, and trustworthy.”
The former Vice-Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, emphasized that most professors have spent decades building their careers and reputations and would not throw that away for short-term political gain.
“A vice-chancellor who has worked 35 years and is close to retirement won’t risk it all just to rig elections,” he added.
While acknowledging that a few professors had faced prosecution for electoral offences, Jega maintained that these isolated cases do not reflect the broader integrity and commitment of Nigerian academia to democracy.
