A ONE-DAY DIALOGUE ON ELECTORAL REFORMS IN NIGERIA…

A SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE INTER PARTY ADVISORY COUNCIL (IPAC) NATIONAL CHAIRMAN DR YUSUF MAMMAN DANTALLE AT A ONE-DAY DIALOGUE ON ELECTORAL REFORMS IN NIGERIA WITH THE THEME, "STRENGTHENING ELECTORAL INTEGRITY IN NIGERIA: LEGISLATIVE AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS," HELD AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE AND DEMOCRATIC STUDIES (NILDS) ON THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2025

Protocol

I am delighted to participate in this crucial dialogue on Strengthening Electoral Integrity in Nigeria: Legislative and Institutional Reforms. I commend the leadership of the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) for its foresight and tenacity of purpose in consolidating, deepening and strengthening the nation's democracy through electoral reforms. This is in tandem with the mandate of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the umbrella body of all registered political parties in promoting democratic governance, electoral integrity and political party development.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has conducted seven general elections since 1999 this democratic dispensation commenced, aside supplementary, run off, by-elections, and off-season elections. Each election was unique and had peculiar challenges that necessitated urgent electoral reform to rectify before the next general election, thus strengthening the integrity of the elections and rebuilding trust in the democratic system. Electoral reforms require the political sagacity and legislative savvy of members of the National Assembly as the lawmaking arm of government. The National Assembly has so far lived up to expectations on this as it often initiates and drives the process of electoral reforms after obvious flaws and public outcry of election malpractices and poor logistics in conducting it.

Council is committed to ensuring that the electoral process is fair, transparent and inclusive, and that all the political parties participating in any election are given a level playing ground.

From the observations and outcomes of elections conducted with the Electoral Act 2022, it has become necessary to amend the Act to rectify the flaws, shortcomings and inadequacies. While the Act has some merits, it has some lapses including absence of definite provisions for electronic transmission of results, lack of clarity on the role of technology in elections, insufficient safeguards against electoral manipulation and fraud, limited protection for voters' rights and freedoms, inadequate sanctions for electoral offences etc.

To address these challenges, IPAC proposes a comprehensive amendment of the
Electoral Act 2022, focusing on: strengthening electoral transparency and accountability; enhancing the use of technology in elections; protecting voters' rights and freedoms; providing adequate sanctions for electoral offences; promoting inclusivity and diversity in the electoral process etc.
It would be worthy of note, that since the advent of the Fourth Republic and 26-years of uninterrupted democracy, stakeholders have continued to push for the reform of our electoral laws, guidelines and regulations before and after every general election essentially to address the flaws experienced in previous elections. However, as reforms are introduced in the electoral process, political actors have been very creative in designing ways to circumvent the reforms. Hence, the need for continuous reviews and necessary amendments to bridge identified gaps for better elections and strengthening of the democratic process for a better nation.

We believe that a revised Electoral Act preceding the 2027 General Election would address these identified concerns as well as significantly enhance the credibility and integrity of Nigeria's electoral process, promote political stability, and strengthen democratic governance.

1. Holding elections in one day - Section 28
IPAC proposes an amendment to the Electoral Act that would require the conduct of all elections - President, National Assembly, Governorship and State House of Assembly on a single day. The current staggered system of elections is not cost-effective, as the nation is almost shut down for several days whenever elections are held. Furthermore, voter turnout usually declines after the first major poll in the staggered election cycle. A single-day election would reduce costs, minimize disruptions to economic and academic activities, maintain voter enthusiasm throughout the process and address logistical issues.

Conducting elections in one day aligns with international best practices and would enhance the efficiency, integrity, and cost-effectiveness of the electoral process.

2. Over voting - Section 51(2)
The Electoral Act requires the use of technological devices for accreditation but does not give them judicial recognition in proving over voting. The proposed amendment would require the report of any technological device used for accreditation in an election as proof of over voting.

3. BVAS and transmission of results to the IREV to be made compulsory - Section 62(2) of the Electoral Act 2022

This in our opinion will bring transparency, efficiency, credibility and accountability, get real-time results transmission, and reduce electoral disputes, increase voter confidence and alignment with global best practices.

4. Where there are technical glitches/hitches, INEC should work to rectify them, if not possible, there should be a rerun of the election - Section 60(4), 62(3), 63

5. We therefore proposed that the Commission, should conduct a rerun where possible.

6. Penalty and punishment should be introduced for electoral offenders and INEC officials who compromise the electoral process or institutional frustration of petitioners through deliberate delay in the release of relevant certified materials

7. Time for accreditation during elections should be extended to ensure that all eligible voters have the opportunity to exercise their right to vote

8. All electoral appeals to be determined before certificates of return are issued and swearing in of winners in all elections

9. The timeline allowed for aggrieved candidates to file in their petition should be increased to 21 days from the date of election

10. INEC audit of Political Party Campaign spending should be restricted to sources of funds and not on electoral expenses since INEC is not funding
Political Parties

11. Candidates of other Political Parties in an election should be able to appeal against malpractice or infraction and non-compliance of opponents in other
Political Parties and not to be seen as strictly an internal affairs of political parties.

12. Political parties to comply strictly with the provisions of their Party constitutions in conduct of primaries in all elections

13. Voter’s register should be synchronized with National Identity Number (NIN) to reduce the chances of non-Nigerians participation in our elections as it pose

14. Election appeal processes should be reduced for speedy resolution of electoral cases.

15. Rather than deregistration of Political Parties that failed to win a Council seat in an election season, Political Parties should be categorized according to how they fared in elections, e.g. Categories A, B, C, in transition and relegation order from one category to another based on electoral performances.

16. Stringent penalties should be provided for perpetrators of vote buying during elections both buyers and sellers.

17. Full deployment of technology in all electoral processes from registration, accreditation, voting and transmission of results to avoid manual processes and use of discretion of electoral officers in the electoral process

18. We further propose and insist that the appointment of INEC officials should not be by the Executive Arm of the Government rather an independent body comprising political parties and civil society organizations be created for such purpose.

This will definitely do the following:
a. Removes potential Presidential influence and bias.

b. Guarantees independence in electoral management.

c. Open a competitive process for appointments, which will lead to the appointment of the best among equals.

d. Ensures that qualified Candidates are selected.

e. Enhances trust in the electoral process.

19. Establish an Independent Appointment Committee (IAC) consisting of representatives from Political Parties and Civil Society Organizations or to be appointed by both the majority and minority arms of the Senate and House of Representatives, thereby ensuring that all parties have representatives in the Independent Electoral Commission.

20. Advertise vacancies for INEC Chairman, National Commissioners, and
RECs while interested candidates submit applications, DSS screens qualified candidates, and IAC conducts elections for selection of a successful candidate, finally IAC members vote for candidates of their choice.

21. INEC to conduct Local Government elections

The responsibility for conducting local government elections by State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs), should be removed and be given to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), by centralized management of electoral processes which will ensure transparency as INEC's standard procedures will guarantee consistency in electoral standards nationwide. INEC has a greater propensity to remain impartial than SIECs and this will inspire confidence in local government elections. INEC's resources and expertise will streamline electoral processes, improved electoral integrity, enhanced voter trust, increased participation in local governance and reduce political office attractiveness.

INEC should fund political parties

22. INEC should restore the funding of Political Parties with stringent conditions to promote electoral accountability and citizen engagement. Parties must commit to voter education and citizen engagement initiatives. Funding should support activities promoting political awareness, civic education

22. and issue-based campaigns.

Political Parties must maintain transparent financial records and accounting practices.
Regular audits and reporting should ensure accountability and effective use of funds.

Parties must demonstrate commitment to inclusivity, diversity, and representation. Funding should also support initiatives promoting women's participation, youth engagement, and minority representation.

By introducing conditional funding, we can ensure that Political Parties prioritize electoral accountability, citizen engagement, and inclusivity, ultimately strengthening
Nigeria's democratic process.

23. Categorization of Political Parties: A Better Alternative to Deregistration:

Instead of deregistering political parties, a categorization system should be introduced to classify parties into three tiers: Category A, Category B, and
Category C. This system would help to promote electoral performance, encourage political parties to strengthen their grassroots presence, prevent the proliferation of inactive parties and foster a more competitive and dynamic political landscape.

The Categorization Criteria may be:
a. Category A: Parties that have achieved victories in Presidential,
Governorship, or National Assembly elections.

b. Category B: Parties with victories in State Houses of Assembly or LGA elections.

c. Category C: Parties that have not secured any electoral wins.

Consequences or implications of Categorization:

i. Category C parties can only contest State elections and must secure a win to be promoted to Category B.

ii. Category B parties can only field Candidates for National Assembly, State and LGA elections; they must secure a National
Assembly victory to be promoted to Category A.

iii. Only Category A parties can field Candidates across the board.

This categorization system would refine the political party landscape, ensuring that only viable and effective parties participate in high-stakes elections while allowing smaller parties to contribute to local governance and develop their capabilities.

24. Filling of Vacant Seats Arising from Decamping or Death:

Any seat vacated due to decamping or death should be filled by the original winning political party through a replacement process, rather than a fresh election. This approach will help to reduce electoral expenses, minimize disruption to the legislative process and maintain electoral continuity.

25. Cross carpeting should stop forthwith: It is unfair and unjust for a candidate to contest and win election in the platform of a political party only to decamp to another party without cogent reason, thus stifle the growth and development of that party.

In conclusion, IPAC believes that for democracy to work all tiers of government, have critical roles to play and therefore must collaborate.

IPAC also recognizes the role of the Judiciary in the sustenance of democracy. In this regard, concerned by recent developments in the polity with regards to the role of Judiciary in the democratic process, and with the clear understanding of the

critical role of the Council as the incubator of leadership within the Executive and Legislative arms across the three tiers of government and to a large extent the Judiciary as it relates to appointment of Judges at all levels, parties convened a roundtable discussion among relevant stakeholders to explore the judiciary's role in consolidating democracy in Nigeria, identified challenges, and proposed solutions to enhance its effectiveness.

Key Issues of great concern to IPAC and stakeholders included constitutional interpretation and judicial review; dangers of conflicting court judgments; judicial independence and accountability; the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the effectiveness of current disciplinary measures in curbing misconduct, etc. Participants at the First Roundtable cut across stakeholders including
Government officials; Judicial Officers; leaders of political parties; development partners; legal practitioners; civil society organizations; security agencies; academics etc.

Most of the recommendations have been forwarded to stakeholders, including the National Assembly and would require a constitutional review to give them the force of law.

I, therefore request the National Assembly to give serious attention and ensure that these recommendations find their way in the provisions of the Electoral Act and Constitutional Amendments for a sustainable democracy and prosperous nation.

I thank you for your attention.