The Abuja School of Social and Political Thought and other electoral stakeholders have urged Nigerians to take proactive steps to protect their votes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
They made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at a public hearing themed, “2023 Presidential Election and Preparation for the 2027 General Elections.”
The Executive Director of the school, Sam Amadi, said credible elections were the responsibility of all stakeholders, including political parties, civil society organisations and citizens.
Amadi, a former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), said many citizens who participated in the 2023 elections felt the polls were neither free nor fair, resulting in growing scepticism and cynicism towards the electoral process.
He said credible elections would strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and reduce the risk of political instability.
According to him, Nigeria, as the largest democracy in West Africa, must take the lead in protecting democratic governance, particularly at a time when military coups are resurging across the continent.
Amadi said the public hearing brought together electoral officials, security agencies, political parties, civil society organisations and citizens to examine the challenges that emerged from the 2023 elections.
He said the initiative became necessary because the National Assembly did not conduct a public hearing immediately after the 2023 elections to enable key actors to account for their actions under oath.
On preparations for the 2027 elections, Amadi urged citizens and civil society organisations to move beyond uncritical trust in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and embrace proactive civic oversight.
He encouraged citizens to audit and verify electoral processes rather than rely solely on assurances from institutions, while urging political party agents to receive adequate training and technological support.
Amadi also reminded Nigerians that their votes belonged to them and not to political parties or electoral bodies, urging them to take responsibility for ensuring that their votes counted.
Similarly, the General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Okeke, said democracy could not be sustained through the conduct of elections alone.
Okeke called for deliberate efforts by citizens and other stakeholders to strengthen the electoral system ahead of the 2027 elections.
He said greater attention should be paid to institutional integrity, meaningful citizen participation and evidence-based electoral reforms.
According to him, democracy belongs to the people, stressing that citizens must not only be encouraged to vote but must also be adequately informed, protected and assured that their participation would make a difference.
He further called for greater inclusion of women, youths, persons with disabilities and other groups facing structural barriers to participation in the electoral process.
Okeke pledged that the NBA would continue to contribute to discussions on electoral reform and justice, as well as efforts to strengthen institutions responsible for protecting the will of Nigerians.
The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu, identified the glitches experienced during the 2023 elections and voter apathy as some of the major lessons from the polls.
Mamedu said only 27 per cent of registered voters participated in the 2023 general elections, stressing the need to restore public confidence in the electoral system.
Also speaking, Theophilus Ndubuaku of the Nigerian Labour Congress Political Commission said the 2023 elections exposed structural, technological and administrative vulnerabilities within Nigeria’s electoral system.
Ndubuaku called for mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results, greater operational independence for INEC and the swift prosecution of electoral offenders.
