Nigeria’s modified election legislative framework still has flaws that could jeopardize the nation’s democratic process, according to political science professor and former electoral commissioner Okechukwu Ibeanu.

Ibeanu made the comments while giving the keynote talk at a Citizens’ Townhall, an Abuja policy discussion on electoral changes, where he called on people to assume more responsibility for preserving democracy.

He pointed out that Nigerians frequently have too much faith in laws as the only way to overcome election difficulties, and that relying too much on legal frameworks in the absence of institutional and civic reforms may not produce the intended results.

“I believe the law still has holes and inconsistencies, and it’s a shame that it took the nation to agree that electronic transmission was included in the 2022 act after we debated a proviso. In reality, however, what we have done is to transport us back to 2018, when those discussions took place in this nation.

“We constantly tamper with the election law framework as though it has all the solutions to our electoral issues. More significantly, however, we give politicians—the same people the law is intended to regulate—the authority to change the Act,” he stated.

The professor claimed that Nigeria’s electoral legislation has undergone numerous repeals and reenactments along with numerous amendments, a pattern he deemed detrimental to a stable democracy.

“Amending and repealing the law should be its medicine, not its daily bread,” Ibeanu said, cautioning that frequent changes run the risk of transforming reforms into political ploys rather than protections for the rights of voters.

He went on to say that if the law is continuously changed, it may result in measures that are largely intended to further political agendas rather than safeguard voters’ rights.

Additionally, Ibeanu warned against the electoral commission’s overzealous regulatory control of political parties, comparing it to a “military regime spectre” if not properly balanced with democratic ideals.

He emphasized civic duty and exhorted Nigerians to take a more active role in keeping elected officials accountable and safeguarding their ballots. This is about you, citizens. Politicians and INEC are not the issue.

Our objective of a fully democratic nation will remain a pipe dream until voters are able to safeguard their ballots and exert control over those who purport to represent them,” he stated.

The political scientist also urged the electoral commission to produce clearer rules and recommendations to eliminate uncertainties and called for a thorough examination of particular sections of the election legislation, such as Sections 50, 60, and 62.

Prior to the general elections in 2027, President Bola Tinubu signed the Electoral Act 2026 into law on February 18, 2026, updating Nigeria’s electoral system.

The new law’s main features include: requiring results to be sent electronically to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal; acknowledging the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS); establishing new deadlines for candidate nominations and election notices; updating procedures for party primaries; and allocating funds for the electoral commission sooner.

Opposition parties and civil society organizations have criticized parts of the bill, claiming that specific discretionary powers granted to election officials during technical problems could influence accountability, despite the fact that the revisions aim to enhance openness.