Key Points

• Leaders urge FG to fix INEC before 2027.

• Soludo, Aregbesola, and Chidoka push for urgent reforms.

• Experts warn democracy at risk without credible elections.

Top Nigerian politicians and supporters of democracy are once again asking the Federal Government to make changes to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the 2027 general elections. They say that the credibility of Nigeria’s democracy depends on these changes being made quickly.

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) held a national dialogue on electoral governance in Abuja.

Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Soludo, former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola, ex-Aviation Minister Osita Chidoka, and Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal all told President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to make INEC more independent and restore people’s faith in elections.

Governor Soludo said that the integrity of elections was directly related to Nigeria’s stability and the outlook for investors. He told the people there, “We have to fix INEC before 2027.” “Citizens’ trust in the process is what makes our democracy real.”

Amadi tells the FG to fix INEC before 2027

According to a report by Vanguard news, Rauf Aregbesola, a former minister, said that the commission needs to completely change how it manages its technology, logistics, and staff. He asked for a permanent inter-agency electoral operations unit to make things more open and less interference.

Osita Chidoka talked about how problems with logistics in the 2023 elections hurt INEC’s reputation. He said, “The system fell apart under basic pressure.” “We can’t keep trying out democracy every time we vote.”

Dr. Sam Amadi, head of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, said that in order to fix INEC before 2027, the law and institutions need to be changed so that the executive branch can’t interfere. He warned, “Without structural change, INEC will continue to be open to political pressure.”

Governor Dauda Lawal said that reforms need to start this year to avoid making changes too quickly before the elections.

Baba-Ahmed and Odinkalu support changes to the election process

Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, a well-known public affairs analyst, said that the commission’s credibility crisis could hurt national unity if it isn’t fixed. “We can’t build a stable country on elections that are in dispute,” he said, calling for the National Assembly, civil society, and political parties to work together.

Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, a human rights activist, said that INEC’s performance in 2023 showed how important it is for leaders to be held accountable and for appointments to be open and honest. He asked for an independent audit of the election process to help with changes.

The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG) and Yiaga Africa sent out a joint statement at the end of the conversation. It called for better funding for INEC before 2027 and better enforcement of the 2022 Electoral Act.