BY AHMED AKANBI
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s democracy space have warned that the credibility of the 2027 general elections will not be guaranteed by laws alone, but by collective action and accountability across the electoral chain.
The warning was issued at a one-day national dialogue on election integrity organised by FixPolitics Africa in Abuja.
Themed ‘Beyond the Electoral Act: Ensuring integrity and accountability in Nigeria’s elections,’ the dialogue said Nigeria has a legal framework but public trust continues to erode due to poor enforcement, impunity and weak institutional conduct.
Setting the tone, Executive Director of FixPolitics Africa, Mr Anthony Ubani, said declining voter turnout shows growing distrust in the system, noting that the presidential election turnout dropped from 53.7 per cent in 2011 to 26.7 per cent in 2023.
“Before we ask citizens to trust the electoral process, the institutions and actors who manage that process must prove that they are worthy of that trust,” Ubani said.
He urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to embrace full transparency.
“When technology fails, Nigerians deserve immediate facts, not explanations days, weeks or months later,” he said.
Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Mr Samson Itodo, identified violence, vote buying and political selfishness as major threats to the 2027 polls.
However, he cited the Osun State governorship election as proof that citizens can protect the process when they turn out in large numbers.
In his presentation, Mr Auwal Rafsanjani of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) said electoral credibility is not INEC’s responsibility alone.
“We already have a legal framework. What we need is to ensure enforcement of the laws we have… there must be sanctions as consequences for doing otherwise,” he said.