Electoral reform without the people: A dangerous precedent
By Okechukwu Nwanguma
The passage of the Electoral Reform Bill by the Nigerian National Assembly – in blatant disregard of widespread public demand for mandatory, unconditional real-time electronic transmission of election results – represents a troubling moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
Across the country, civil society organisations, professional bodies, youth groups, and ordinary citizens made their position clear: electronic transmission of results must not be subject to discretionary caveats that leave room for manipulation. The demand was simple – transparency must not be optional.
Yet, despite mass protests, sustained public advocacy, and even resistance from opposition lawmakers within both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Bill retained provisions that weaken the certainty of electronic transmission.
Even more concerning is the speed with which the Bill was transmitted to the President and the prompt assent that followed. When legislation that directly affects the integrity of elections moves so swiftly – in the face of visible public dissent – it shows a clear coordinated executive-legislative alignment against popular will.
Democracy is not merely about voting numbers within the National Assembly. It is about responsiveness to the sovereign will of the people.
Where overwhelming public opinion is ignored; Where opposition voices within parliament are sidelined; Where protests are dismissed rather than engaged; And where assent is granted without evident reconsideration – the result is not simply controversial legislation. It risks normalising majoritarian arrogance and weakening democratic legitimacy.
The question Nigerians must ask is not only whether the law was procedurally passed – but whether it reflects the constitutional principle that sovereignty belongs to the people.
Electoral transparency is not a partisan demand. It is the foundation of political stability. Any reform that dilutes transparency will deepen distrust in electoral outcomes and fuel post-election conflict.
Nigeria’s democratic consolidation depends not just on laws, but on public confidence in those laws.
The struggle for credible elections, therefore, does not end with the signing of a bill. It continues through civic vigilance, judicial scrutiny where necessary, and sustained advocacy for reforms that truly reflect the will of the people.
Democracy must not become a ritual stripped of substance.
Nwanguma, the Executive Director of Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), writes from Lagos
