The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is no longer just an umpire; it is the primary engine of public sector corruption in Nigeria, according to a scathing new analysis by anti-corruption expert Umar Yakubu.

In a democracy, the ballot box is the ultimate accountability mechanism. But what happens when the gatekeeper of the ballot is the one opening the gates to thieves? Yakubu's indictment of INEC goes beyond missed elections; it accuses the body of institutionalizing "prebendalism"—the use of state offices for personal gain.

This matters to East Africa because INEC is often cited as a peer to Kenya's IEBC. The failures of one giant cast a long shadow over the democratic integrity of the entire continent.

The ₦240 Billion Black Hole

The core of the accusation is financial opacity. Yakubu points out that INEC has failed to publish the audit report for the ₦240 billion (approx. KES 20bn) it received for the last election.

"INEC stands at the very heart of Nigeria's enduring system of corruption," Yakubu writes. "It is not merely a referee that occasionally misses a foul; it has become the primary enabler."

The Mechanism of Capture

The corruption isn't just about stolen cash; it's about the regulatory vacuum.

• Campaign Finance: By failing to regulate political finance, INEC allows illicit funds—looted from the public treasury—to recycle back into the electoral process.
• Systemic Weakness: The report notes that while laws exist, the "political system has found a way of weakening" oversight bodies like the Auditor General.
• The Consequence: Politicians "invest" stolen money to buy offices, which they then use to steal more money to buy the next election. It is a closed loop of graft.

A Warning to the Continent

Yakubu's Center for Fiscal Transparency and Public Integrity (CeFTPI) argues that until political finance is transparent, the war for good governance is lost. For Kenya, currently debating its own electoral reforms, the Nigerian experience is a flashing red warning light: an electoral commission that cannot account for its own funds cannot be trusted to count the people's votes.

"Until we secure political finance transparency, we may win the battle for the ballot, but we will continue to lose the war for good governance." — Umar Yakubu