The clamour for sweeping constitutional and institutional reforms to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy dominated the National Electoral Reforms Summit 2025, where political leaders and advocates warned that without urgent action, the 2027 elections may lack legitimacy.
The summit, under the theme; ‘Critical Constitutional Amendments for Credible Elections in 2027’ convened virtually by the National Consultative Front and the Labour and Civil Society Front, featured former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, former lawmaker Usman Bugaje, political economist Pat Utomi, former Minister of Education, Oby Ezekwesili, and Peter Obi, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate.
Amaechi struck a pessimistic note, insisting that politicians in power would never willingly carry out reforms that weaken their hold on office.
“There is absolutely nothing anybody can do about electoral reform in Nigeria under the present government,” he said. “Politicians will not do that. Why would they, when politics has become a source of income for them? Electoral reform would mean taking power back to the people, so that votes can hire and fire. They don’t want that.”
Bugaje reinforced Amaechi’s warning, pointing to widespread electoral manipulation and judicial complicity. “This regime has shown that they are not even prepared to conduct an election,” he said, citing recent polls in Kaduna where results were announced before ballots were cast.
“The 2027 election as things stand is not going to be won or lost at the ballot box. It’s going to be won or lost on the streets of Nigeria. We must begin to organize to resist those who are hell-bent on staying in power irrespective of the votes Nigerians cast.”
Utomi, however, emphasised that the survival of Nigeria’s democracy depends on restoring legitimacy through credible elections. “A government that is perceived as lacking legitimacy will never be effective in governing,” he said.
“Legitimacy is earned when people believe elections reflect their will. If we do not do everything to ensure free and fair elections, everybody loses, including those who think they have power for the moment.”
Utomi also urged international pressure on Nigeria’s political class. “We should internationalise this problem to the point that our country could face isolation. Sadly, many of us helped bring Nigeria to pariah status in the past, but sometimes shame is necessary to pull back from the brink.”
He accused Nigeria’s legal profession of betraying democracy: “Nigerian lawyers are the shame of Africa. Judges have behaved like they didn’t go to school. We must not betray the essence of our professionalism for crumbs.”
Ezekwesili laid out a detailed framework for reform, stressing INEC’s financial and operational independence, mandatory electronic transmission of results, and stronger prosecutorial powers to punish electoral offenses.
“Relying on the police and attorney-general for prosecutions has only rewarded bad behavior,” she argued.
She also pressed for transparent appointment of INEC commissioners, expanded timelines for voter registration and candidate nominations, and stronger oversight of result collation.
The former minister criticised what she described as enabling “courtroom democracy.” “Elections are being decided in court rather than at the polling station,” she said.
“That destroys the spirit of democracy. We need specialised electoral courts, automated systems for assigning cases to judges, and strict timelines for resolving disputes. Right now, elections have become an industry for the judiciary.”
For her, the ultimate solution lies in mass citizen action. “The political class does not care about a few elites talking about reforms. What they fear is when Nigerians themselves take ownership of the struggle for credible elections. For as long as our electoral system is a mess, it continues to destroy lives and futures. We must get citizens to say: this is the hill we are prepared to die on,” she said.
Obi also lending his voice to the reform agenda. “This is a very critical thing that has to happen before our next election,” he said. “Without a proper electoral system that can guarantee free and fair elections, our democracy will remain fragile.”
The former Governor of Anambra State added the electoral reform should also discourage cross-carpet by politicians, proposing that any politician who jump party after winning election should lose his seat.
The summit ended with consensus that achieving meaningful reforms before 2027 will require citizen-driven pressure, civil society mobilisation, and a collective refusal to accept compromised elections as the norm.