No election anywhere in the World is perfect – Fashola

Former Lagos State Governor and ex-Minister of Works, Housing and Power, Babatunde Fashola, has described elections as inherently imperfect processes, urging Nigerians to shift attention from perceived flaws in electoral outcomes to the broader task of strengthening democratic institutions.

Speaking on Friday at The Platform, a public policy forum in Lagos marking Democracy Day, Fashola said the scale and complexity of conducting nationwide elections make absolute perfection impossible.

He explained that a presidential election requires simultaneous coordination across thousands of polling units, each operating under different conditions, making it unrealistic to expect flawless execution.

According to him, challenges in electoral administration are not unique to Nigeria, as even established democracies continue to grapple with similar logistical and operational constraints.

Fashola stressed that while electoral systems may have imperfections, the more important focus should be on continuous improvement of institutions rather than undermining public confidence in democratic processes.

He noted that in many jurisdictions, citizens and political actors accept electoral outcomes despite acknowledged shortcomings, while working to refine the system over time.

The former governor also expressed concern about what he described as a growing reluctance among some political actors to accept election results, warning that such attitudes weaken democratic progress.

He argued that opposition politics remains a vital component of democracy and should be embraced as part of governance rather than viewed solely through the lens of victory or defeat.

Fashola further called for deeper national conversations on the kind of democratic culture Nigeria seeks to build, stressing that democracy extends beyond elections and includes institutional accountability, civic engagement and responsible leadership.

He maintained that the true measure of democratic maturity lies not only in the conduct of elections but also in the ability of citizens and leaders to uphold democratic values after results are declared.