A former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mike Igini, has raised fresh concerns over the integrity of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, warning that certain provisions in the Electoral Act 2026 could undermine credible polls.
Igini described parts of the law as “dangerous,” arguing that they introduce loopholes capable of weakening transparency, accountability, and public trust in the electoral process.
Speaking at a political stakeholders’ forum, he said the Act contains what he termed “structural vulnerabilities” that could be exploited to manipulate election outcomes if not urgently amended.
One of his major concerns is Section 63, which allows presiding officers to accept ballot papers without official security markings if they are “satisfied” with their authenticity. Igini warned that such discretionary powers could open the door to the use of unauthorized ballot papers and electoral fraud.
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He also criticized Section 138, noting that it appears to shield electoral officials from consequences if they violate INEC guidelines, provided their actions do not directly breach the Electoral Act. According to him, this could encourage non-compliance with electoral procedures.
On Section 137, Igini expressed concern that it removes the requirement to join electoral officers as respondents in election petitions, potentially weakening accountability and making it harder to prove misconduct in court.
He further warned that the reintroduction of broad discretionary powers for election officials marks a regression from previous reforms aimed at strengthening transparency, including the use of technology such as electronic transmission of results.
Igini lamented that systems like result transmission and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IREV), which had been successfully deployed in past off-cycle elections, risk being undermined under the new legal framework.
The former electoral official called on the National Assembly to urgently amend the contentious provisions before the 2027 elections, warning that failure to do so could erode public confidence and trigger disputes that may threaten Nigeria’s democratic stability.
These concerns highlight growing anxieties over the legal framework guiding the upcoming elections, as political stakeholders intensify preparations for what is expected to be a highly contested poll.
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