The 13th Board Chairman of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Emeritus Prof. Olu Aina has canvassed the need for stakeholders to prioritise free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria.

According to Aina, who was the first African Executive Secretary of the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA), acceptable polls strengthen democracy.

He made this known while speaking as the Chairman of the public presentation of a book titled: “Winning Free and Fair Elections in Nigeria,” authored by a trio of retired public servants and versatile writers – Jimoh Akanni Agboola, Smolette Adetoyese Shittu-Alamu, and Emmanuel Olufemi Agboola.

Aina, who was represented at the book launch held in Osogbo by a retired journalist, Dr. Michael Adeyemi Brown, called on all electoral stakeholders to ensure credible processes and actions that would engender free, fair and acceptable elections.

While congratulating the authors and commending Jimlad Training Services Limited, the publishers, for supporting what he described as “the important intellectual project”, the first Nigerian President of the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA) said, “The issue of free, fair, credible, and peaceful elections remains central to the survival and development of our democracy.”

“As a nation, we must continue to promote an electoral culture where political contests are based on ideas, competence, character, and the genuine desire to serve the people—not violence, intimidation, manipulation, or desperation.

The title of the book, Winning Free and Fair Elections in Nigeria, is therefore very
significant. It challenges political actors and indeed all Nigerians to understand that
elections can be won legitimately and successfully without compromising democratic values,” he said.

According to the authors, the reason for coming up with the book is that elections have always been contentious events in Nigeria and it is because some politicians see polls as a do-or-die matter.

“To re-write this ugly culture or trend, a group of three authors have worked hard to write and publish a book that attempts to prevent elections from taking on acrimonious posture,” the publishers noted, adding that the book lists out what political parties and their candidates could do to win elections “without much stress in our country.”

At the event were a royal father, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun Laroo II, Ataoja of Osogbo; Osun State House of Assembly Speaker, Adewale Egbedun, as the Special Guest of Honour, Hon. Patricia Foluke Etteh; the Father of the Day, Chief Shuaib Oyedokun, the Chief Launcher, Engr. Abel Olanrewaju Adeleke; and the Book Reviewer, Dr. Kayode Oladeji among others.