CSO demands transparency in Electoral Act review Police fault YIAGA Africa report on election security

Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) has urged the 10th National Assembly to focus on governance, accountability and critical legislative reforms as it resumes plenary on Tuesday. 
 
It cautioned lawmakers against being distracted by early politicking ahead of the 2027 general elections. This was as the Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria (MOTION) demanded that the review process of the Electoral Act 2022 be transparent, inclusive and reflective of a genuine commitment by the National Assembly to strengthen the country’s electoral framework.  
  
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police on Elections, Yomi Shogunle, said a report by the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) Africa did not draw parallels between voter apathy and violence.
 
CISLAC’s Executive Director, Auwal Musa ‘Rafsanjani’, in statement yesterday, described 2026 as a defining year for both the President Bola Tinubu administration and the legislature, stressing that Nigerians expect visible results from policies and programmes introduced since 2023.
 
According to Rafsanjani, Nigeria is at a stage where policies must begin to deliver measurable benefits, adding that the role of the National Assembly in achieving this could not be overstated. 
 
He expressed concern that the period leading to general elections was historically associated with declining legislative productivity, often due to heightened political activity. 
 
The organisation warned that public anxiety could intensify if proposals to hold general elections as early as November 2026 were pursued.
MOTION in a statement jointly signed by the Convener, Hauwa Mustapha; Co-convener, Christopher Isiguzo; Blessing Alims and a member of the Steering Committee, Dr Otive Igbuzor, wondered in whose interest the proposed amendment was truly being served.
 
The statement recognised that the Electoral Act contained gaps that could further entrench widespread electoral fraud, create barriers for petitioners seeking to challenge results in court, and further erode public trust in the electoral system.
 
Emphasising that these shortcomings undermine the legitimacy of elected officials and may lead to increased post-election disputes, potentially destabilising the country, the group also raised concern over the perceived delay tactics by relevant committees of the National Assembly in amending the Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 general elections.
 
Failure to amend the Act before the next elections poses significant risks to Nigeria’s democratic process, it added.   
YIAGA Africa had reported widespread fears of insecurity and electoral violence in the North-West and North-East during the 2023 election, noting that the development affected the turnout of voters.
 
However, in an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Morning Show’, Shogunle disagreed, saying the report did not prove a connection between voter apathy and violence.
 
Shogunle said: “I was at the presentation of this report in Abuja last week, and I’ve read through the report. Let me state here that it is more of perception than reality.
 
“Anywhere there is human interaction, there is always a need to up the game on security. In the report, there is nowhere that it has been drawn that the low participation has any security issues. So, I think we just have to be careful when we try to link things together.”
 
On its part, the Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy cautioned security agencies against intimidation, harassment and prosecution of opposition political leaders, describing it as dangerous.
 
The centre made the declaration in Abuja at a World Press Conference, where it specifically warned against selective prosecution and intimidation of opposition politicians in the country.
 
Addressing newsmen, Head Legal Unit for the Centre, Kalu Agu, noted that if the disturbing trend was not curbed, the nation’s democracy could be under threat.