Lawmakers unlikely to reform an Act that benefits them, says Yakassai
As Nigeria inches towards the 2027 general elections, debates over electoral credibility have returned to the forefront, largely driven by unaddressed gaps in the Electoral Act 2022.
Specifically, stakeholders are concerned about the unresolved ambiguities around the electronic transmission (e-transmission) of results, the effective prosecution of electoral offenders despite the culture of impunity and vote-buying, and the independence of the umpire.
Concerned parties hinged the credibility of the 2027 general election on a stronger Electoral Act and a better-prepared Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), though disturbed by the parliament’s noncommittal in resolving lingering ambiguities.
Although the Electoral Act was widely applauded as a bold reform after years of advocacy by civil society groups, opposition leaders and election observers, the 2023 general elections exposed major weaknesses that now threaten to shape the next electoral cycle unless urgently addressed.
At the heart of the concern is a growing consensus among political stakeholders, election observers and legal experts that the law, though progressive in intent, remains vulnerable to elite manipulation, institutional discretion and weak enforcement.
With the ongoing realignment of political forces ahead of 2027, the stakes for reforming the Electoral Act have become inseparable from Nigeria’s broader struggle to deepen democratic accountability.
