Ex-INEC commissioner warns new Electoral Act could undermine credibility of 2027 polls

By Lateef Ibrahim

A former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner, Dr. Mike Igini, has cautioned that certain provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 may erode the transparency gains achieved through the use of election technology and potentially weaken public confidence in the 2027 general elections.
Igini raised the concern in Abuja during a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in collaboration with the Pan African Strategic and Policy Research Group (PANAFSTRAG), where participants reviewed the implications of the new electoral law.
The former electoral commissioner argued that Nigeria made significant progress under the Electoral Act 2022 through the introduction of the Biometric Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), technologies designed to enhance transparency, reduce electoral fraud, and strengthen public trust in election outcomes.
According to him, the credibility built around these innovations suffered a major setback during the 2023 presidential election when presidential results were not uploaded to the IReV portal in real time, despite successful uploads for National Assembly elections conducted on the same day.
Igini maintained that the inconsistent application of election technology contributed to a trust deficit among voters and warned that some provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 could further complicate efforts to restore confidence in the electoral process.
He specifically criticised Section 60(3) of the Act, arguing that it weakens the mandatory electronic transmission of results by placing greater emphasis on Form EC8A as the primary basis for collation and declaration of election outcomes.
The former commissioner also expressed reservations about Section 63(2), which allows ballot papers lacking official marks to be counted under certain conditions. He warned that such a provision could create opportunities for abuse and compromise the integrity of elections.
Beyond issues relating to election management, Igini questioned amendments to Section 77 of the Act, contending that sanctions imposed on political parties for failing to submit membership registers and restrictions on multiple party affiliations may conflict with constitutional guarantees on freedom of association.
He further criticised the removal of provisions that previously enabled election petitions to challenge the qualification of candidates, arguing that the change could make it harder to contest elections involving allegations of forged credentials or constitutional disqualification.
Calling for urgent action ahead of the 2027 elections, Igini urged civil society groups and other stakeholders to advocate amendments to contentious sections of the law. He also encouraged INEC to rebuild confidence