Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed serious concerns about the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) apparent lack of commitment to improving Nigeria’s electoral process as the 2027 general elections approach. Speaking through his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku warned that without urgent and meaningful reforms, the credibility of future elections is at risk.
Atiku pointed out that INEC is currently burdened with excessive responsibilities, which distracts the commission from focusing on its core mandate of conducting free, fair, and transparent elections. He argued against the creation of additional commissions to handle electoral matters, instead advocating for empowering existing agencies like the National Identity Management Commission to oversee political party registration and monitoring.
The former vice president emphasized the need for a well-structured and efficient INEC to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system. Atiku voiced support for prioritizing reforms that eliminate loopholes allowing electoral malpractice, including the much-debated real-time electronic transmission of results.
Critics, including Atiku and other political leaders, have expressed frustration over the slow pace of reforms and have urged the National Assembly to expedite legislative efforts to strengthen INEC’s independence and operational capacity.