2027 election already compromised? — Ex-INEC commissioner raises alarm over ‘dangerous’ provisions in Electoral Act

• Mike Igini raises alarm over Electoral Act provisions

• Section 63 may allow acceptance of ballots without official INEC security features

• Section 138 could make it harder to challenge election irregularities in court

• Section 137 may limit accountability of electoral officers during petitions

Fresh concerns have emerged over the credibility of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections after former electoral commissioner Mike Igini warned that key provisions in the Electoral Act could open the door to widespread manipulation.

Speaking in a recent interview, Igini said he stumbled on what he described as “very dangerous” sections of the law after reviewing the Electoral Act provisions he believes could undermine the integrity of future elections even before voting begins.

At the centre of his concerns is Section 63, which he claims gives presiding officers the discretion to accept ballot papers that do not carry the official security features of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to him, this creates a loophole that could allow politicians to print and introduce unofficial ballot papers into the voting process.

“What that means is that before this election, politicians who now have access to the security features of INEC ballots are going to produce their own ballot papers, and that has to be accepted,” he said.

Igini also flagged Section 138, which he described as a long-standing “rigging provision.” The section, he explained, suggests that actions by electoral officers that violate INEC guidelines, but not explicitly the law, cannot automatically be used to challenge election results in court.

In his view, this effectively shields misconduct from legal consequences.

He further criticised Section 137, arguing that it removes the need to directly hold individual electoral officers accountable during election petitions, even when they are central to alleged irregularities.

The former commissioner said these combined provisions weaken both electoral accountability and judicial scrutiny, warning that they could make it harder to prove malpractice in court.

He referenced past elections, including 2019 and 2023, where disputed results and questionable documents became major legal battles, stressing that the judiciary must play a stronger role in safeguarding democracy.

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“The judiciary must be the last line of defence of democracy,” Igini said, expressing concern that this has not always been the case.

While his claims are likely to spark debate, they have already begun raising fresh questions about whether Nigeria’s current electoral framework is strong enough to guarantee free and fair elections in 2027.