A former top election official in Nigeria has warned that proposed changes to the country’s electoral law could compromise the safety of polling staff and undermine the integrity of the 2027 general elections.
Mike Igini, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), raised the alarm during an appearance on Arise Television’s The Morning Show. He stated that amendments to the Electoral Act, if passed, would effectively reintroduce a manual “incident form” system by allowing results to be transmitted without electronic verification, especially where network connectivity is contested.
Igini explained that the legislation could create dangerous situations at polling units. He noted that voters can often independently confirm mobile network availability, but if a presiding officer claims there is no connection to transmit results electronically, it could lead to heightened tensions and put the officer at risk. “The lives of presiding officers are going to be in danger,” he cautioned.
He underscored that these officers are typically National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, not the children of political elites, placing a specific demographic in harm’s way during electoral disputes.
The former commissioner also cited historical precedents, referencing alleged cases of collusion in past election cycles where serial numbers on result sheets were duplicated. He questioned how INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (iReV) would handle authenticated results when multiple entries with identical serial numbers are uploaded.
The warning centers on a balance between technological reliability and manual fallbacks. Critics of the amendment argue that removing robust electronic transmission requirements reopens avenues for result manipulation and logistical failures, while proponents may emphasize contingency planning for connectivity gaps.
Igini’s comments highlight ongoing debate about electoral reform in Nigeria, focussing on the practical security of poll officials and the technical robustness of result collation ahead of the 2027 polls. The discussion now rests with legislators to assess whether the proposed changes adequately safeguard both personnel and process integrity.
