Ahead of the 2027 poll, stakeholders have warned against the hijack of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) leadership by the ruling political elite in the country.
 
Prof. Adele Jinadu, in keynote address during the conference of thought leaders on civic space, poverty and elections in Nigeria held in Abuja, claimed that he is privy to information of attempt by the ruling elite to “invade” the electoral by appointing their lackeys to occupy top positions to do their biddings at the next general elections.
 
The Lagos State University (LASU) don noted that the situation is further worsened by the fact that the National Assembly has allegedly become a “willing tool to rubber-stamp partisan nominees from the APC executive arm to fill vacant seats in INEC.”
 
Jinadu, who served as a commissioner in the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), called on civil society organisations (CSOs) and well-meaning Nigerians to be vigilant and avert the impending compromise of the electoral system.
 
His words: “There is a tendency for the political class to, as part of its state capture agenda, control the electoral body by putting in place partisan supporters. We should be alert to that prospect in about seven or eight months.

“The party is ready to re-appoint party members of the current INEC who would have served their two terms and are therefore not eligible to be reappointed.

Alternatively, for those who only served one term, the ruling party will not be able to reappoint them because the power of reappointment is the power of removal and replacement of them with party sympathisers. So that possibility is there.”
 
Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Prof. Jibrin Ibrahim, called on the electorate to prevent their votes from being stolen at the poll.
 
He regretted that the political class had taken them for granted despite amendments to the Electoral Acts since the return to democratic rule in 1999. Secretary General of WRAPA, Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi, decried the marginalisation of women, youths, persons with disability and other vulnerable groups from governance.
 
In his welcome address, Executive Director of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), Monday Osasah, said the goal of the conference was to enhance democratic governance, social protection, and electoral integrity in Nigeria. 

“We believe that by working together, we can build a more inclusive, transparent, and accountable democracy that truly serves the needs of all Nigerians.
 
“This project is timely, given the current state of our democracy. We have seen the constriction of civic space, widespread poverty, and electoral malpractices that hinder our nation’s development. However, we also see opportunities for reform and positive change,” he said.