Former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner Mike Igini has claimed that political actors are actively approaching university faculty and federal agency staff well in advance of the 2027 general elections. He shared these concerns during the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue held on Thursday.
Igini stated that politicians are targeting academics who typically serve as returning and collation officers for the commission. According to Igini, the integrity of the electoral process relies heavily on the autonomy of election management agencies. He emphasized that the judiciary and political parties must also commit to upholding electoral standards.
Suggesting a shift in policy, Igini noted that Nigeria could improve its systems by adopting practices similar to those in the United Kingdom, which grants more authority to the election management body. He further advocated for replacing the current adversarial legal system with an inquisitorial model to handle election-related disputes more effectively. These proposed reforms are intended to bolster democratic stability and improve the outlook for the nation’s political landscape.
