By David Lawani
Former Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, has warned that Nigeria’s electoral system remains vulnerable to manipulation ahead of the 2027 general elections unless urgent reforms are introduced to strengthen the independence and authority of the electoral management body.
Igini spoke at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue, where he raised concerns about early political efforts to influence academics, government officials and others who could play roles in the conduct and collation of election results.
He alleged that politicians had already begun reaching out to university professors and academics as part of preparations for the 2027 elections.
“As I speak to you, politicians are already going to the university communities to reach out to the professors, to the academics,” Igini said.
The former electoral commissioner also alleged attempts to influence officials of federal agencies who could be deployed as coalition or returning officers.
Drawing on his experience supervising elections, Igini recalled an election in which a politician allegedly predicted his victory before voting began, apparently relying on an established system to manipulate results.
He said electoral officials under his watch refused to permit such practices and insisted that the voters’ will must prevail.
“Under our watch, the will of the people is what will govern in that election,” he said.
Igini further alleged that some academics involved in manipulating election results had previously been prosecuted and jailed.
He argued that Nigeria could not guarantee credible elections while loopholes remained in the electoral framework governing ballot papers and the conduct of election officials.
According to him, electoral officials, including presiding, collation and returning officers, should face meaningful consequences where violations of electoral regulations affect the credibility of an election.
He expressed concern that Nigeria was already preparing for the 2027 elections without resolving some of these institutional weaknesses.
Igini recalled electoral reforms undertaken before the 2015 election during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, arguing that the experience demonstrated that political leadership could strengthen electoral institutions when there was sufficient political will.
He called for an independent and properly empowered electoral management body capable of conducting elections without political interference.
Igini also advocated reforms to the handling of electoral disputes, arguing that the electoral management body should bear greater responsibility for investigating and addressing irregularities rather than leaving candidates and voters to prove alleged violations through lengthy litigation.
“The onus of how well the election is conducted on the African continent should be placed on the EMB,” he said.
He maintained that strengthening electoral institutions was essential to restoring public confidence in elections and protecting Nigeria’s democratic future.
Igini said the ultimate objective should be to build an electoral system in which citizens genuinely believe that their votes determine who governs them.
“That is the only way we can give ourselves and future generations… the heritage of democratic hope,” he said.
