Electoral Act: Leadership failure behind Nigeria’s struggles — Obi
Former presidential candidate Peter Obi has renewed criticism of Nigeria’s electoral framework, arguing that persistent flaws in the implementation of the Electoral Act reflect deeper leadership shortcomings rather than structural limitations.
In a statement released on Tuesday and titled “Tale of Two Nations Continues,” Obi compared Nigeria’s electoral management with that of India, describing the Asian nation as a global example of how scale and diversity need not undermine democratic credibility.
According to him, India operates one of the largest democratic exercises in the world, with nearly one billion registered voters and a turnout that often exceeds 60 per cent.
The country runs elections across more than one million polling stations and accommodates thousands of political parties. Despite this scale, Obi noted, Indian authorities deploy technology that enables electronic transmission of results within days.
In contrast, he pointed out that Nigeria has roughly 93 million registered voters — less than one-tenth of India’s voter base — yet continues to grapple with controversies surrounding transparency, voter participation and the timely transmission of results under the Electoral Act.
“It is deeply troubling that we still struggle to conduct elections effectively, even when voter turnout falls below 20 per cent,” Obi said, stressing that the disparity between both nations underscores a crisis of governance rather than logistics.
Leadership and the Electoral Act debate
Obi’s intervention comes as the National Assembly intensifies deliberations on proposed amendments to the Electoral Act. Both chambers — the Senate and the House of Representatives — have constituted conference committees to harmonise differences in their respective versions of the amendment bill.
While the House approved provisions mandating real-time electronic transmission of election results, the Senate endorsed electronic transmission to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s viewing portal but retained manual collation as a fallback in cases of technological failure.
The divergence has sparked heated debate among lawmakers and civil society groups, with some arguing that ambiguous language in the Electoral Act could weaken public trust if not resolved decisively.
Tensions spilled onto the floor of the House on Tuesday when plenary briefly turned chaotic over a proposal to repeal the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2022 and introduce a fresh Electoral Act Amendment Bill, 2026. Lawmakers expressed conflicting views on whether a repeal would streamline reforms or complicate ongoing legislative efforts.
The conference committees are expected to reconcile these positions before the bill advances to the next legislative stage.
Comparing two democracies
Drawing further parallels, Obi argued that the true difference between Nigeria and India lies in political will. He maintained that Indian political actors — including legislators and judicial authorities — prioritise institutional integrity and long-term national development.
By contrast, he said Nigeria’s political culture often prioritises short-term gains, with policies that inadvertently deepen poverty and undermine confidence in democratic processes.
“The difference is leadership,” Obi emphasised, adding that credible elections require not just legislation but a collective commitment to uphold democratic norms.
Analysts note that debates surrounding the Electoral Act have intensified since the 2023 general elections, with calls for clearer provisions on electronic transmission, result collation and dispute resolution mechanisms.
Civil society organisations have repeatedly urged lawmakers to ensure that amendments strengthen transparency and reduce human interference in vote tabulation.
Renewed calls for reform
Obi urged Nigerians to demand accountability from elected officials, arguing that reforms to the Electoral Act must go beyond technical adjustments.
“We must insist on leaders who put the people first, govern with integrity, and plan for a better tomorrow,” he said.
Observers say the ongoing legislative review presents an opportunity to address longstanding gaps in Nigeria’s electoral process, including logistics management, voter education and digital infrastructure.
As the harmonisation process continues, stakeholders across party lines are expected to weigh in on whether the final draft of the Electoral Act amendment will prioritise technological innovation, legal clarity and public trust.
For many Nigerians, the outcome of this debate could shape the credibility of future elections — and determine whether Africa’s most populous democracy can match global standards in electoral governance.
