Electoral Malpractice, Weak Rule of Law Deter Investors, Warns Businessman Deji Adeleke

Billionaire businessman and founder of Adeleke University, Dr. Deji Adeleke, has voiced strong concerns regarding electoral malpractices and a weak adherence to the rule of law in Nigeria. He warned that these issues are actively discouraging potential investors from engaging in business within the country. Adeleke believes that the continued erosion of investor confidence could exacerbate unemployment and accelerate the emigration of young Nigerians seeking better opportunities abroad.

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Osun State has 3,763 polling units. Is it humanly impossible for the INEC chairman to be at all those polling units at the same time? But they have entrusted it to young people like you and yet they collect money and change the figures.

Speaking at the 12th and 8th undergraduate and postgraduate convocation ceremony of Adeleke University in Ede, Osun State, Adeleke specifically criticized the alleged roles played by some security personnel and temporary electoral workers in compromising the integrity of Nigerian elections. He questioned the feasibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman personally monitoring thousands of polling units, emphasizing the need for integrity and accountability among election officials.

Adeleke alleged that some police officers assigned to election duties, as well as National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving as INEC ad hoc staff, are colluding with politicians to alter election figures. "Graduates like you who become ad hoc staff of INEC are colluding with politicians to change election figures," he stated, adding that Corps members are accepting bribes to manipulate results at polling units.

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Graduates like you who become ad hoc staff of INEC are colluding with politicians to change election figures. You cannot blame that on the INEC chairman when Corps members are collecting money and changing figures at the polling unit.

He implored young Nigerians to champion integrity and resist actions that undermine democracy. Adeleke stressed that credible elections and a robust rule of law are fundamental prerequisites for attracting investment and generating employment opportunities. He also lamented the hardship and discrimination Nigerians face internationally due to limited economic prospects at home, citing examples in South Africa and Ghana.

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It is unfortunate that Nigerians are being embarrassed, harassed and intimidated to leave countries like South Africa and Ghana just because our country does not provide opportunities for them to thrive.