• Electoral Act amendment a tragedy, says ex-INEC REC Igini
• INEC unveils new voter education manuals to combat apathy
• Group urges Tinubu, NASS to restructure Nigeria before elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that the 2027 general elections face a growing threat from Foreign Information Manipulation (FIMI), alongside social media volatility, AI-driven disinformation, and logistical challenges.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, raised these concerns yesterday during the second yearly lecture of the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies (AANISS) in Abuja. The lecture, titled: ‘Credible Elections and National Security in Nigeria’, brought together security experts, strategic thinkers, and electoral stakeholders.

Amupitan said the threats are a sophisticated triad where digital attacks intersect with physical security risks such as insurgency, communal clashes, and electoral violence. He warned that these combined pressures could widen the trust deficit in the electoral process, undermining public confidence in governance.

“It is our collective responsibility to close this gap with surgical precision, hence the importance of this lecture. We must recognise that credible elections foster public trust in governance, and this trust is crucial for national security. When citizens believe in the electoral process, they are more likely to accept the outcomes, reducing the tensions that can lead to unrest.”

The INEC chairman stressed that credible elections are critical to national security, as they foster public trust in the democratic process and reduce the potential for post-election unrest. He called on INEC, security agencies, civil society, and voters to collaborate in fortifying electoral systems against these evolving threats.

Speaking on the ongoing preparations for the 2027 elections, the INEC chairman cautioned that voter apathy remains a security concern. According to him, turnout has declined from 53 per cent in 2011 to 26 per cent in 2023, creating a vacuum that malicious actors could exploit to delegitimise election outcomes.

“Voter apathy is no longer just a civic concern but a growing security challenge. Apathy is a security threat. Despite the peaceful conduct of the FCT council polls, where turnout improved from 9.4 per cent to 15 per cent, voter apathy still remains a sobering challenge. Every vote cast is a brick in the wall of national security,” Amupitan said.

On its part, the commission has launched updated voter education manuals as part of efforts to tackle voter apathy and boost participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement posted on its official X handle, INEC said the initiative was carried out in collaboration with national and international partners, including the Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI).

The newly unveiled materials include a revised National Voter Education Manual and a youth-focused Civic and Voter Education Manual designed to promote informed civic engagement, particularly among young Nigerians.

Speaking at the launch, Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, expressed concern over the steady decline in voter turnout since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.

He noted that voter participation had dropped from over 60 per cent in 2003 to below 30 per cent in recent elections, attributing the trend to a lack of motivation and insufficient voter education.

Haruna explained that the manuals were developed in partnership with KDI to improve citizens’ understanding of the electoral process and encourage greater participation.

While reaffirming that the Electoral Act 2026 has strengthened transparency through improved legal frameworks and electronic processes, he stressed that legislation alone cannot address voter disengagement.

“An indifferent electorate is a democracy in retreat,” the keynote address stated, calling for sustained investment in civic education to rebuild public trust and participation.

Igini: 2026 Electoral Act worst in Nigeria’s history
BUT a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mike Igini, described the 2026 Electoral Act as a “tragedy” and a major regression that could undermine credible elections in the country.

Igini, who also spoke at the Alumni Association of the National Institute for Security Studies lecture, said: “The current amendment to the Electoral Act is a tragedy to our country, a big tragedy. It is a regression.”

The former REC stated that the 2022 Electoral Act, widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most progressive electoral laws, had been diluted by provisions introduced in the 2026 amendment. He noted that the pre-election stage remains critical to credible polls, stressing that the legal framework guiding elections plays a decisive role in shaping public confidence.

He added that the perception of neutrality among election managers and stakeholders accounts for a significant portion of electoral credibility. “The first thing you must ask if an election will be credible is the legal framework that will govern it. The sanctity of laws is key to election management. If the perception is wrong, we are in trouble,” he said.

Igini also expressed concern about what he described as the judiciary’s growing influence in deciding election outcomes, noting that winners should be determined at polling units.

“I am worried about the expanding empire of the courts in determining who becomes the winner of elections in our country. The winner of the election must be determined finally and conclusively at the polling unit and not in the court of law,” he said.

Despite widespread agitation over the amended Electoral Act, President Bola Tinubu signed it into law in February 2026. Since then, criticism has continued, with stakeholders and opposition parties raising concerns.

Group urges Tinubu, NASS to restructure Nigeria before 2027 polls
DESPITE ongoing preparations towards the conduct of the 2027 general elections, the Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movement (AYDM), a coalition of about 130 pan-Yoruba civil society and community-based organisations, has called on President Tinubu and the National Assembly to urgently restructure the country ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The group made the call at a one-day unity and solidarity conference held at St. Agnes Catholic Church Hall in Maryland, Lagos, with the theme, “Democracy and Good Governance in Nigeria: Peoples’ Power and Voters in Nigeria.”

Delegates drawn from the old Western Region, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, Kogi, Delta and Edo states. Yoruba and Itsekiri groups from other West African countries were also present. According to the organisers, more than 800 delegates participated in the first day of the event, while the second day was scheduled for a working group session focused on security and livelihood in the region.

Speaking at the conference, guest speaker, Adewale Adeoye, emphasised the need for citizens to defend democracy and mobilise for the restructuring of the Nigerian federation. He urged Nigerians to rally together to protect democratic institutions, stressing that restructuring remains a critical step toward addressing the country’s political, economic and security challenges.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the AYDM General Secretary, Popoola Ajayi, the group warned that failure to restructure the country before the next presidential election could deepen national tensions. The coalition also insisted that the presidency in 2027 should remain in the South in line with the principle of power rotation.

According to the communiqué, since independence in 1960, the northern region has produced Nigerian leaders for a longer period than the South, a situation the group described as politically imbalanced. AYDM argued that any attempt to abandon the power rotation principle could threaten national unity and stability.

The group further warned against any attempt to undermine democratic governance through military intervention, noting that a coup would plunge the country into severe political and security crises.

It also called for urgent reforms in Nigeria’s security architecture, including the creation of state police and the decentralisation of key military training institutions across the country. AYDM further expressed concerns over rising insecurity in parts of the South-West, urging the Federal Government to take decisive steps to safeguard lives and property while ensuring that democratic institutions remain protected.