…electoral reform in Nigeria has remained a recurring theme since Nigeria’s return to civilian rule in 1999.
ABUJA, NIGERIA — The iNews Times reports that the debate over electoral reform in Nigeria has intensified following a strong warning from civil society advocate, Dr. Jude Ohanele, who described the nation’s democratic system as an “electoral dictatorship.”
Speaking on the state of democracy, Dr. Ohanele called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently transmit an amendment to the 2026 Electoral Act to the National Assembly. According to him, meaningful electoral reform in Nigeria is the only path to restoring credibility, strengthening democratic institutions, and rebuilding public trust in governance.
At the heart of Dr. Ohanele’s demand is the full legalization and mandatory implementation of real-time electronic transmission of election results directly from polling units. He argued that without decisive electoral reform in Nigeria, elections will continue to suffer credibility crises that undermine democratic legitimacy.
Dr. Ohanele, who serves as Programme Director at Development Dynamics, maintained that the current democratic framework permits elections to hold regularly but fails to guarantee outcomes that genuinely reflect the will of the people.
“We pretend to conduct elections every four years,” he said. “The elections have no real impact because the processes leading to credible elections are absent, and the results essentially do not reflect the wishes of the people. So, we are running an electoral dictatorship here in Nigeria.”
His remarks add fresh momentum to national conversations about electoral reform in Nigeria, particularly as stakeholders assess lessons from recent election cycles.
According to the activist, democracy must go beyond periodic balloting. He emphasized that transparent procedures, institutional accountability, and shared civic responsibility are essential pillars of any functional democratic system.
“Well, my position is that it takes everybody in the society to build a democracy,” he stated, stressing that political actors, institutions, civil society organizations, the media, and citizens all share responsibility in strengthening democratic culture.
Observers note that electoral reform in Nigeria has remained a recurring theme since the country’s return to civilian rule in 1999. Various amendments to the Electoral Act have sought to improve transparency, yet controversies over result collation, vote transmission, and internal party processes persist.
A major concern highlighted by Dr. Ohanele is the collapse of internal party democracy. He argued that flawed primary elections frequently produce candidates who do not emerge through credible, competitive processes.
When internal party structures fail to reflect transparency and fairness, he warned, they lay the groundwork for wider electoral malpractice during general elections. Analysts say that strengthening party primaries is a critical aspect of comprehensive electoral reform in Nigeria.
Political experts have long observed that disputes arising from controversial primaries often spill into general elections, triggering litigation, defections, and voter apathy.
Dr. Ohanele identified the optional provision for electronic transmission of results in the current Electoral Act as a significant loophole. He contended that this optional clause creates room for manipulation, particularly during the collation phase.
“Once results are not transmitted instantly from polling units, the integrity of the entire process becomes vulnerable especially during collation, where alterations frequently occur,” he explained.
He argued that mandatory real-time electronic transmission would significantly reduce opportunities for tampering. By ensuring that results are uploaded immediately at polling units, citizens, political parties, and observers would be able to independently verify outcomes.
Proponents of electoral reform in Nigeria have consistently argued that technology-driven transparency is essential to curb fraud, enhance public confidence, and reduce post-election disputes.
Despite his strong criticism, Dr. Ohanele expressed optimism that change remains possible. According to him, the key obstacle is not legal complexity but political will.
“If the President is willing, legislative amendments could be expedited within days,” he said.
He strongly appealed to President Tinubu to send the Electoral Act back to the National Assembly for amendment, making real-time electronic transmission compulsory rather than optional.
“That is the only proof against electoral fraud, and it will restore public confidence in the process,” he added.
Political analysts suggest that successful electoral reform in Nigeria would require cooperation between the executive and legislative arms of government, alongside broad stakeholder consultation.
Dr. Ohanele framed the issue as a defining test for the country’s democratic future. Without credible elections, he warned, governance risks drifting further from the people’s mandate.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, plays a significant role in shaping democratic trends across the continent. Experts argue that reforms implemented locally could influence electoral best practices in other emerging democracies.
“With decisive action starting with electoral transparency, Nigeria can begin to reclaim the true essence of democratic rule,” Dr. Ohanele concluded.
As discussions around electoral reform in Nigeria continue to gain momentum, The iNews Times will closely monitor legislative developments, policy proposals, and stakeholder responses to ensure readers remain informed about this critical national conversation.
