The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM) in Nigeria have called for sweeping electoral reforms to guarantee free, fair, and credible polls in 2027.
This was contained in a statement issued after a closed-door meeting between the EU delegation, led by Chief of Mission and Member of the European Parliament, Mr Barry Andrews, and the ADC leadership in Abuja.
The statement reads partly: “The 2023 general elections were riddled with irregularities and failed to meet the expectations of Nigerians. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) betrayed public trust by failing to uphold its promise of real-time transmission of results from polling units via the IReV portal. The final results declared were inconsistent with votes cast, representing a major setback to Nigeria’s democratic aspirations.
“The judiciary equally failed in its duty to safeguard the people’s mandate as expressed at the ballot box. Courts must not usurp the people’s right to freely choose their leaders. In disputed cases, the ultimate decision should revert to the electorate through a fresh democratic process rather than judicial pronouncements.
“Reforms must strip the President of the sole power to appoint the INEC Chairman and National Commissioners. Instead, political parties with at least five members in the National Assembly should be empowered to nominate officials of the electoral umpire to ensure transparency and neutrality.
“Nigeria cannot afford to repeat the same errors in 2027. Electoral credibility is the cornerstone of democracy, and without reforms, the people’s faith in the system will continue to erode.”
The ADC delegation, led by its National Chairman, Senator David Mark, and National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, insisted that Nigerians deserved a transparent system that reflects their votes without manipulation.
The European Union observers, including EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mr Gautier Mignot, and election experts Ralph-Michael Peters, Eirini-Maria Gounari, and Maros Gabriel, said the visit was part of the bloc’s review of Nigeria’s 2023 general elections and its preparation for credible reforms ahead of the 2027 polls.
Other members of the ADC delegation included Liyel Imoke, Emeka Ihedioha, Babachir Lawal, Bolaji Abdullahi, Ibrahim Mani, and Chile Igbawua. The EU team also featured Programme Manager on Democracy and Rule of Law, Ms Laolu Olawumi; Political Adviser, Mr Osaro Odemwingie; and Team Leader, Mr Ruben Alba Aguilera.
