Lagos — Reports of misapplication, diversion or vandalization of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Direct Data Capture machines (DDC) by elements working in concert with crooked INEC officials, have become too frequent in the past few weeks.

The first cases happened in Sokoto, Borno and Niger states where different party sympathizers and INEC officials were apprehended with the DDC machines in their private possessions. In Sokoto, three INEC officials had been involved along with officials of the dominant party there. In the Borno case, a businessman and alleged ANPP chieftain had been implicated in the diversion of the INEC machines.

Shortly after, two DDC machines were reported to be in possession of Dr. Saka Balogun erstwhile chief of staff to Oyo State Deputy Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala. Three persons, including a Youth Corps member and an INEC official were implicated in the matter.

Also, there were reports that another DDC machine was found in the home of a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain in Ogun State.

There was also the case of vandalization and displacement of the INEC machines in Ikotun area of Lagos.

But the most brazen diversion of these INEC machines, happened to be the six said to have been taken to the Molete residence of Chief Lamidi Adedibu. No voters registration-centre exists there.

According to the Oyo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Isyaku Maigoro, six ad-hoc staff of the electoral body in the state have been arrested in connection with the offence. The level of the suspects' involvement is still being investigated.

It is greatly disappointing that, in spite of the herculean efforts of INEC to wean Nigerians from electoral malpractices of all sorts, unscrupulous members of society and government official collaborators are hell bent on destabilizing the polity.

Put in proper perspective, what politicians like Chief Adedibu and his ilk have done by perpetrating parallel registration of voters amounts to a plot against the Nigerian nation and its democratization efforts.

By definition, democracy, which means government of the people by the people for the people, is subverted when the people who should choose are prevented from exercising their rightful choice of candidates.

This is done when legitimate voters are disenfranchised while partisans are registered in multiple centres with the aim of distorting the voting pattern and election outcomes.

Indeed, the road towards inconclusive, aborted, rigged or contentious elections begins with the subversion of the voters registration excerise. Without an accurate audit of eligible voters, outcome of elections is always contentious because the wrong candidates end up winning the contests for power.

This is equivalent to coup plotting.

Under the nation's laws, specifically the Electoral Act of 2006, citizens who subvert the rules and regulations for credible elections are liable to sanction.

Under Part VIII of the Electoral Act, it is an offence to carry "out registration or revision of voters lists at a centre or place not designated by the Commission". (Section 124. (1)), Contravention of this part of the Electoral Act attracts a maximum fine of N100,000 or 12 months imprisonment or both.

Clearly, what Chief Adedibu and others have allegedly done is clearly in breach of the law.

It is well and good that INEC, the Inspector-General of Police, Sunday Ehindero and other relevant authorities have come out to say that those found to have contravened the electoral laws would be punished.

But the real test of this collective resolve and desire to conduct free and fair election this year, will be in how swiftly those who have sabotaged the process are brought to book and not in bland preachments.

If it can speedily be demonstrated that those accused of diverting INEC machines for purposes of undermining the 2007 elections and gain undue advantage actually committed the offences, they should be prosecuted and accordingly punished.

With the general apprehension concerning the 2007 elections that will mark a milestone in our nation's history of civilian-to-civilian transition, it would amount to encouraging chaos if those identified as subverting the electoral process are not made to pay.

Nothing breeds mistrust and insecurity more than the perception that some citizens are above the law.

INEC and other relevant authorities must be up to the task of preventing the perversion of our electoral laws and also more importantly, punish those who do so.