Former Cross River State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to withhold assent to the newly passed Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026, cautioning that the legislation could weaken Nigeria’s democratic process.
Igini made the plea on Wednesday in an interview with Arise Television, shortly after the bill was passed by the Senate following intense debates over Clause 60. He described the bill as “a recipe for chaos” and urged the president to reject it.
“It is my humble recommendation to Mr President that you are a man of history,” Igini said. “What is put before you risks undermining all that has been achieved. Please take it back.”
He recalled Nigeria’s past electoral struggles, stressing that elections should reflect the will of the people rather than the influence of federal power. “In 2015, we insisted it would be the might of the people, not federal might, that should determine election outcomes. You have the opportunity to make history,” he added.
Igini has also called for the compulsory real-time electronic transmission of polling unit results, arguing that mandatory technological safeguards are necessary to prevent manipulation during manual collation.
The National Assembly is currently harmonising different versions of the bill. The requirement for immediate upload of results to the Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing Portal remains one of the most debated provisions.
“The credibility of elections and the confidence of citizens depend on closing loopholes in the system,” Igini said. “History shows that gaps in manual collation have often worked against sitting lawmakers, particularly those who lost party support. Real-time transmission strengthens transparency and protects democracy.”
He emphasized that the decision before the president and lawmakers will have far-reaching implications for electoral integrity and political stability ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“What is being presented is not merely legislation,” Igini warned. “It is a test of our commitment to democratic principles and the trust of the Nigerian people.”
His intervention adds to the ongoing national debate over electoral reforms, underscoring the tension between traditional processes and technological solutions as Nigeria prepares for its next general elections.
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