Some governors and former ministers yesterday asked the Federal Government to reform the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ahead of the 2027 general elections to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s democracy and strengthen electoral credibility.
They spoke at a panel discussion hosted by the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, with the theme ‘Innovation in Electoral Technology 2015 – 2025: Gains, Gaps, and the Road Ahead’, in Abuja.
The event also featured the launch of the Athena Election Observatory, an initiative designed to monitor and document electoral reforms, innovations and governance trends in Nigeria and across Africa.
The high-level dialogue attracted academics, policymakers, civil society leaders, and election experts who gathered to examine how technological innovation had shaped Nigeria’s elections over the last decade and to chart the way forward, ahead of 2027.
Among the panelists were Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo; Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal; former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola; and National Secretary of African Democratic Congress (ADC), and former Minister of Aviation Osita Chidoka, who is also the Chancellor of the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership.
Representing INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu at the event was Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Board of The Electoral Institute (BEI).
Speaking on the credibility of elections, former Interior Minister, Rauf Aregbesola, criticised the current process of appointing INEC chairman and national commissioners, describing it as a ‘grandstanding deceit’.
‘It is a grandstanding deceit for the principal beneficiary of electoral manipulation to appoint the INEC Chairman’, Aregbesola declared.
He argued that true independence of the commission could only be achieved when political parties with parliamentary representation participated in nominating INEC’s leadership.
He said: ‘Political parties with at least five members in the National Assembly should be the ones to nominate INEC chairman and commissioners. That is the only way Nigerians can have confidence in the process’.
Aregbesola’s blunt remarks drew murmurs of approval from some participants, highlighting the weight of the long-standing debate on electoral autonomy.
On his part, Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, said credible elections were a reflection of governance quality and institutional strength, stressing that reforms must be focused on deepening public trust and institutional independence.
‘The critical question is how we can make our institutions work. We have made some progress, but we still have a long way to go in building trust in the process’, he said.
Soludo also maintained that electoral integrity required more than technology or laws, saying it depended on the conduct of those who run the process.
‘It is not just about the rules or the machines, it is about the people. We can only build democracy on institutions that Nigerians trust’, he said.
His comments aligned with the session’s central theme, which examined the gains and gaps in electoral technology between 2015 and 2025.
Several speakers noted that while innovations such as the BVAS and IReV had improved transparency, the human element of integrity remained the biggest test. Zamfara State governor, Dauda Lawal, linked the success of democracy to respect for the rule of law and accountability in governance.
‘We cannot talk about democracy without the rule of law. The rule of law is what guarantees fairness, justice and peace in society’, he said.
The governor added that institutions must reflect integrity and accountability for Nigerians to have faith in elections, saying ‘if we want people to trust the process, then we must ensure that our institutions are beyond manipulation’.
Former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, in his capacity as Chancellor of the Athena Centre, said Nigeria’s electoral challenges were rooted in weak institutions and lack of public trust.
‘Institutions, not individuals, make democracy work. When institutions are weak, the system becomes personalised and unaccountable’, he said.
Chidoka, who also stressed that credible elections depended on transparency and fairness, said: ‘We must ensure the umpire is not seen as a player. Without transparency, democracy becomes a shadow of itself.’’
Responding on behalf of the commission, Prof. Abdullahi Abdu Zuru, who represented INEC Chairman Prof. Yakubu, defended the electoral body’s performance, insisting that the commission remained committed to improving transparency and adopting new technologies for election management.
‘INEC has continued to reform its processes and build transparency in all its operations’, Zuru said, noting further that the commission had established an Artificial Intelligence unit to strengthen monitoring and data integrity, ahead of future elections.
