… Six hidden booby traps that may mar 2027 polls
By Adebayo Obajemu
Nigeria’s political trajectory as it inches closer to 2027 is already brewing apprehension, suspicion and dire warning as Nigerians, stakeholders and experts worry about the emasculation of opposition and, even worrier about the Electoral Act under which the elections will be conducted.
Apart from the opposition parties, no voice has been more strident in casting aspersions at the Act and the need for an amendment of aspects of it than Mike Igini, former INEC Resident Commissioner in Akwa Ibom, a man widely respected for his integrity and viewpoint.
At several fora, he has warned of the inherent booby traps in the Electoral Act capable of being exploited by some unscrupulous politicians for personal gains.
At a recent opposition political parties summit, Igini delivered a strong and urgent message that the newly amended Electoral Act critical flaws that could undermine future elections. In a no-holds-barred address, he called on political leaders to act swiftly and decisively, stressing that delaying a re-amendment could open the door to legal battles, electoral confusion, and potential instability ahead of upcoming polls.
The warning has sparked fresh debate among stakeholders, raising concerns about the integrity and preparedness of Nigeria’s electoral framework.
Igini noted that the 2026 Electoral Act has failed to meet the legality of international standards for the conduct of democratic elections.
Fraud Legalized
The Electoral Act, 2026 (EA 2026) he said, has removed certificate forgery as the basis to challenge the outcome of an election at the tribunal. The 2026 Electoral Act is a legal fraud, he submitted.
He averred that Nigeria is the only country in the world whose National Assembly passes laws to validate electoral fraud and crimes and contradict the constitution.
According to him, the “2026 Electoral Act is a good example of a legal fraud passed to validate 2027 electoral fraud and crimes. The 2026 Electoral Act is a legal fraud that will lead Nigeria to a political crisis during the 2027 elections. The National Assembly passed a fraudulent law to rig 2027 elections that will lead Nigeria to political instability. With the 2026 Electoral Act, there will be pre- and post-election violence during the 2027 elections.
Electoral Act 2026, section 85, says: “A political party shall not impose nomination, qualification or disqualification criteria, measures, or conditions on any aspirant or candidate for any election in its constitution, guidelines, or rules for nomination of candidates for elections, except as prescribed under sections 65, 66, 106, 107, 131, 137, 177 and 187 of the Constitution.”
Section 137 (1) of the 1999 Constitution states expressly: “A person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President if (i) he has presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission.”
Rigging Authorized
Igini further noted that Sections 63, and 138 of Electoral Act “is dangerous and can sabotage voting at polling level .
He noted that “Section 63 of the 2026 Electoral Act has reintroduced something very dangerous: a ballot paper used for the 2027 election that does not bear INEC’s official manufacturer and security features may be accepted by the presiding officer.
By implication, the presiding officer has been given the discretion to accept ballot papers notwithstanding the absence of the official mark, and to count such ballot papers. What that means is that politicians, who have access to INEC’s serial and security features could produce their own ballot papers. We are back to ballot stuffing.
Williams Ajibade, a doctoral student of political science told Business Hallmark that “It will be dangerous to dismiss Igini’s observations, in fact I had expected the media to feast on it, but nothing of such has happened.
The section 63 of the 2026 Electoral Act, which says a ballot paper used for the 2027 election that does not bear INEC’s official manufacturer and security features may be accepted by the presiding officer is an open invitation to rigging.
It’s like the National Assembly has openly given a carte blanche to politicians, who want to rig to do so, because they can print their own ballots. This is the worst National Assembly ever.
This is the position of Professor Adeniyi Sebiotimo, a constitutional historian. In his chat with Business Hallmark, he said “how and why the President assented to the Electoral Act baffles me. If Nigerians do not call for amendment, they should forget free and fair elections in 2027. Victory for unpopular candidates will be a fait accompli if this fraud and betrayal of the people is allowed to stand.
It could be recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on February 18, 2026, signed the Electoral Bill 2026 into law, hours after enactment raising eyebrows, preparing the ground for the 2027 general elections in less than one year. There are six major amendments to the old Electoral Act 2022, carried out in reaction to demands by political parties and civil society organisations. With the kind of euphoria that has greeted the amendments, especially the inclusion of ‘real-time’ electronic transmission of votes, the inclusion was actually a dummy to the opposition and CSOs.
While the focused on the electronic transmission of votes, the majority led APC National Assembly committed legislative murder.
Beside the electronic transmission, all the other amendments are worse than the 2022 version and took the country backward. Now fraud, forgery and ballot box stuffing have been legalized.