Our Reporter, Abuja
A former Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mike Igini, has warned that the proposed amendment to the Electoral Act could endanger the lives of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members deployed for election duties.
Speaking on The Morning Show on Arise TV, Igini expressed grave concerns over provisions he said would reintroduce vulnerabilities into Nigeria’s electoral process, particularly at polling units.
He argued that the amendment, if assented to, could effectively bring back a modified version of the controversial “incident form,” which he said had previously been abused to manipulate accreditation and voting processes.
Danger at Polling Units
Igini warned that granting presiding officers discretion to declare the absence of network connectivity during result transmission could expose them to mob action.
“At the polling units, presiding officers’ lives are going to be in danger,” he said.
“Where Nigerians are gathered and results are being announced, everyone could look at his telephone and see network, but the presiding officer says there is no network. You are going to put the life of that presiding officer in danger.”
He stressed that most presiding officers are youth corpers, noting that “the children of political elites are not going to be at the polling units. It is youth corpers that are going to be faced with this.”
Describing the situation as a “clear danger,” Igini maintained that the new provisions could heighten tension and suspicion at polling centres during the 2027 general elections.
Allegations of Past Manipulation
The former commissioner recalled instances in 2015 and 2019 where he said there were allegations of collusion involving electoral officials and politicians, including the duplication of serial numbers on result sheets (Form EC8A).
“When you now have EC8A forms that have the same serial number and essential features and they are transmitted to INEC, which one are you going to pick?” he queried, adding that in some cases courts upheld disputed results even when INEC distanced itself from them.
Igini also criticised what he described as resistance by political elites to electronic transmission of results, despite years of piloting and preparations by INEC under the leadership of Professor Mahmood Yakubu.
According to him, debates around the 2022 Electoral Act were marked by claims that INEC was unprepared for electronic transmission, an argument he said the commission publicly refuted at the time.
Judiciary Must “Stand Tall”
While expressing concern over the roles played by the executive and legislature in electoral matters, Igini said the judiciary remains the “greatest option” for safeguarding democracy.
“Democracy is in danger when the judiciary shows signs of weakness, collapse or irrelevance,” he stated, urging the courts to defend due process and give full effect to the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.
He lamented what he described as a historical pattern of judicial decisions that, in his view, have not always strengthened electoral integrity.
Call on Tinubu
Igini appealed directly to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to sign the amendment bill into law.
“What is going to be presented before you is a recipe for chaos,” he said.
“You should be a man of history. What is put before you, please take it back. Do not sign it.”
He argued that reforms should instead focus on ensuring that election disputes are resolved before winners are sworn in and that the burden of proving compliance with electoral laws should rest squarely on the election management body.
Igini maintained that credible elections must be decided at polling units rather than in courtrooms, insisting that technology-driven transparency remains critical to public trust, safety, and efficiency in Nigeria’s democratic process.
