Ahead of the 2027 general elections, youths groups, civil society organisations and key electoral stakeholders have demanded urgent measures to address electoral violence, voter intimidation and shortcomings in results transmission

The stakeholders made the demand at the first Multi-Stakeholder Roundtable on Electoral Reform Implementation, Electoral Integrity and Youth Participation, organised by Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) and partners under the Youth Electoral Reform Project (YERP-Naija) in Abuja.

The roundtable, held at Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments on Wednesday, brought together representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), National Orientation Agency (NOA), security agencies, NYSC, Nigerian Bar Association, academics and civil society organisations.

The meeting examined lessons from the 2026 off-cycle governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states and considered measures to strengthen the 2027 general elections.

A live audience poll conducted during the roundtable showed that 58 per cent of participants identified results transmission and collation as the biggest gap between electoral laws and their practical implementation.

Election Day operations accounted for 26 per cent, while pre-election activities, including voter registration, campaigns and logistics, accounted for 16 per cent.

Participants also identified electoral violence, voter intimidation and security collusion as the most pressing threat to the credibility of the 2027 elections, with 48 per cent of respondents selecting the concern.

Vote-buying and voter inducement followed with 34 per cent, while 17 per cent identified failures or delays in real-time result uploads through the BVAS and INEC Results Viewing (IReV) systems.

The stakeholders said the findings underscored continuing concerns over electoral security, integrity and public confidence in election administration and results management.

They observed that many Nigerians, particularly young citizens, remained sceptical about the credibility of the electoral process ahead of 2027.

The communiqué issued after the meeting said participants linked public mistrust following the 2023 presidential election primarily to INEC’s failure to timeously upload polling unit results to the IReV portal in line with its guidelines and public commitments.

They also expressed concern over transparency in the movement of election results, noting that delays in uploading results could weaken public confidence even where the underlying results were accurate.

The participants cited a reported delay of about two hours in Osun as an example of how delays could affect public trust.

They further observed that the Electoral Act 2026 had given legal recognition to technology in the electoral process, while INEC guidelines provided for the electronic copy of the EC8A result sheet, known as the e-EC8A.

However, they said questions remained over how discrepancies between electronic and physical result sheets would be reconciled.

The stakeholders therefore urged INEC to make result management for the 2027 elections, particularly mandatory transmission of results to the IReV portal, more transparent, effective and timely in accordance with the Electoral Act 2026 and its guidelines.

They also called on the Police, EFCC and ICPC to diligently prosecute vote buyers and sellers, perpetrators of electoral violence and other electoral offenders, while providing regular statistics on ongoing cases to serve as a deterrent.

Security agencies were urged to maintain strict neutrality and professionalism and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to secure polling environments and border communities against voter suppression and intimidation.

The stakeholders also urged the National and State Assemblies to expedite legislative measures establishing an Independent Electoral Offences Commission to ensure transparent and prompt prosecution of electoral offenders.

They called on INEC and other relevant agencies to commence aggressive public education campaigns well ahead of the 2027 elections, covering voter responsibilities, PVC collection procedures, downloadable PVCs and electoral procedures.

The campaigns, they said, should extend beyond Abuja to combat misinformation and improve citizens’ understanding of the electoral process.

The meeting further recommended amendments to the constitutional and legislative framework governing the appointment of INEC leadership.

The participants proposed an independent, non-partisan and stakeholder-based appointing committee to insulate the electoral commission from political bias and strengthen public confidence in its independence.

They also recommended periodic dialogue and review mechanisms to assess progress in implementing electoral reforms and monitor actions taken on the recommendations.

The communiqué was signed by Joan Arabs, Director, INEC; Prince Chinedu Obi, Director-General, IPAC; Peter Maduoma, Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation; Adulam Muhaul, EFCC; Jibrin Faruk, Yiaga Africa; Prof. Julius Anjorin, MIVA Open University; Abiodun Olayeni-Ali, NOA; and Oluwafemi John Adebayo of Kimpact Development Initiative, among others.

The participants reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening electoral integrity, deepening public confidence in democratic institutions and promoting meaningful youth participation in Nigeria’s electoral process.

They stressed that lessons from the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections should inform preparations for the 2027 general elections and ensure that electoral reforms are effectively translated into practice.