By: Bayero Ade
The Policy and Legal Advocacy Center (PLAC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently restructure the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections to restore public trust in Nigeria’s electoral process.
The call follows a recent survey by PLAC, which revealed that citizens’ confidence in INEC has significantly declined. Speaking to journalists on Monday, the Executive Director of PLAC, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, described the current state of the electoral body as unacceptable and in need of immediate reform.
“Our survey shows that citizens’ confidence in INEC has badly deteriorated. People have lost trust in the electoral body as it is presently constituted,” Nwankwo said.
He urged President Tinubu to review reports from the 2023 elections, identify the flaws, and initiate critical reforms. “It is time for the country to prepare a blueprint for credible elections in 2027. INEC must be reconstituted immediately because the current leadership lacks the credibility to conduct a fair process,” Nwankwo added.
Nwankwo also expressed concern about the appointment process for INEC officials, calling for the implementation of recommendations from the Justice Uwais Committee on electoral reforms. “The problem is not the absence of laws but the manipulation of the system by individuals for selfish interests. The process of appointing INEC officials must be reviewed to restore public confidence,” he emphasized.
This call echoes previous remarks by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who in November demanded a total overhaul of INEC, including the removal of its chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, and other officials. Obasanjo criticized INEC for its failure to effectively deploy the BVAS and IReV technologies during the 2023 elections, which led to widespread irregularities.
“The BVAS and IReV were celebrated for their potential to ensure transparency and accuracy in elections, but INEC willfully failed to use them as promised. This undermined the process and public trust,” Obasanjo had said.
Nwankwo also noted that Nigeria could learn from Ghana’s recent elections, where their election management body demonstrated transparency and efficiency. He urged INEC to adopt best practices to avoid further credibility issues in the future.
With mounting pressure from stakeholders, PLAC has called on the Tinubu administration to act decisively and address the shortcomings in the electoral system to avert a repeat of past failures.
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