Electoral Act Review Sparks Worry: Is NASS Really About Democracy, Or Something Else?

By: Abudu Olalekan

Nigeria’s Electoral Act 2022. It’s getting looked at again. A review process is happening. But not everyone’s cheering. There’s this group, the Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria, or MOT!ON as they like to be called. They’ve got questions. Big ones. They’re looking at this review by the 10th National Assembly and wondering: are they trying to make things better for democracy? Or is this just for some small political group’s benefit?

MOT!ON put out a statement Monday. Said this whole review thing is happening at a “critical crossroads.” Twenty-six years of this democracy thing, you know? Uninterrupted. That’s a long time. They’re telling the lawmakers straight up: be open. Let people in. Listen to what folks want. That’s what matters, they reckon.

So, the National Assembly. You got Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas. They’re the ones leading this charge on the Act. Getting ready for the 2027 elections. That’s coming up, faster than you think.

MOT!ON, they’re not holding back. They said what comes out of this review? It’s gonna show what’s what. Will the electoral rules get fixed to keep people honest? Or will they be tweaked to help the same old powerful folks keep their grip? It’s a big deal, this.

“Credible and inclusive elections are fundamental to a strong democracy,” MOT!ON said. Simple enough. Elections that actually show what the people voted for? That makes the government look good. Makes them answerable. Cuts down on all that post-election drama. Fights and arguing.

But there’s another thing bothering MOT!ON. These delay tactics. They see ‘em. The committees in the National Assembly, they seem to be taking their sweet time. MOT!ON is waving a red flag. If this Act isn’t changed well before 2027 kicks off, it could be bad news. Real bad news for how Nigeria runs itself.

The way they see it, there are holes in the current Act. Gaps. These gaps? They could let election cheating happen. Make it hard for people who think the results are wrong to get any kind of justice. And that just makes people trust the whole system even less. Erosion of confidence, they call it. Not good for any country, is it?

And the delays with the law changes? That messes with INEC too. The Independent National Electoral Commission. Less time to get ready. More chance of them rushing things. Putting out guidelines in a hurry. And when things are rushed? Integrity can get compromised. Seems obvious, really.

So, MOT!ON’s big ask? Lawmakers need to get a move on. Treat this review like it’s important. Serious business. They see this as a chance. A chance to start rebuilding that trust people have in the elections. A chance to make democracy here stronger. A real chance, if they don’t mess it up.

The statement, it had names on it. Hauwa Mustapha, she’s the Convener for MOT!ON. Then Christopher Isiguzo and Blessing Alims, they’re Co-Conveners. And Dr Otive Igbuzor, he’s on the Steering Committee. A few people putting their names to these worries. Sent out via Reportersroom, you know. They want people to hear this. They really do. It’s about the future of voting here. That’s what’s at stake.