The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), among other stakeholders, have stressed the need for electoral reforms, a single-day voting system, and the eradication of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) ahead of the 2027 general election to ensure credibility.

This was disclosed at a Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Electoral Matters retreat, in conjunction with INEC and supported by PLAC, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and Development Alternatives, Inc. (DAI), held over two days in Lagos.

Specifically, Executive Director of PLAC, Clement Nwankwo, stressed the need to adopt a single-day voting system, saying this would reduce the cost of elections in the country.

He noted that the current cost of conducting elections is too high, citing the nearly half a trillion naira spent on general elections as an example, saying adopting a single-day voting system would significantly bring down these costs.

He said: “Ghana has achieved it. And it is not because Ghana has a smaller population. The cost of elections in Nigeria is too high. The idea that we are budgeting nearly half a trillion Naira to conduct elections in a general election is unacceptable when you can very much reduce the cost significantly.”

He also questioned the necessity of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), arguing that proper voter registration and biometric capture could suffice.

Nwankwo expressed hope that the National Assembly would consider diaspora voting, acknowledging the logistical challenges that come with it.

He stressed the importance of carefully considering these challenges, citing examples of countries that have implemented diaspora voting.

INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, stressed the need for timely electoral reforms to ensure that INEC has sufficient time to implement new laws and prepare for elections.

Yakubu outlined ongoing challenges requiring legislative attention, saying this included Technological Integration – strengthening legal backing for INEC’s innovations, such as electronic voting systems; Litigation Reduction – clarifying ambiguities in electoral laws to minimise pre- and post-election disputes; and Adoption of Good Practices – incorporating recommendations from past reform committees, including the Uwais (2009), Lemu (2011), and Nnamani (2017) reports.

He said: “Under the 2010 Electoral Act as amended, the commission had just 60 days between the primaries and the general election to know which political party was building candidates in each of the 1,491 constituencies, made up of one presidential constituency, 28 governorship, 109 senatorial, 360 federal, and 993 state constituencies. We need the information for customisation of the ballot papers and results sheets. Moreover, the voters register has been increasing by an average of 10 million new voters from 2011 to the last election in 2023, which is the basis for planning the procurement of sensitive materials.

“The solution was to amend the Electoral Act to provide for more time between primaries and the nomination of candidates on the one hand, and the date fixed for the election on the other. The commission initially asked for one year, which was not favorably considered by the lawmakers who eventually settled for the current 180 days, that is, six months.

“As a result of that decision, the commission had ample time to plan and consequently, for the first time in three electoral cycles, the 2023 general election was not postponed on account of logistics associated with the printing and delivery of sensitive materials, or for any other reason at all.”

On his part, Chairman, Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Sharafadeen Alli, stressed the need for electoral reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic processes.

Alli noted the importance of collaboration between the legislature and INEC in addressing emerging challenges and improving public confidence in elections.

Alli commended INEC’s progress in recent elections but noted that significant work remains to be done

He cited issues such as electoral law irregularities, misconduct by electoral officers, and disregard for electoral laws by political parties and candidates.

The senator acknowledged the challenges faced by INEC, including evolving political dynamics, technological changes, and security issues, while expressing hope that the retreat would provide a platform for stakeholders to exchange ideas, identify bottlenecks, and propose necessary adjustments to the electoral system.

“The last general elections we had in 2023, with its attendant petitions, has certainly sparked yet another round of debates about the need to reform our electoral legal framework, so that we can ensure, in the very least, that the declared election results reflect the true wishes of the Nigerian voters.”