Stakeholders Seeks Urgent Electoral Act Reforms To Address Gaps

Oluwakemi Kindness

The urgent need for reforms in the nation’s electoral legal framework on Thursday again came to the fore, with stakeholders citing gaps and inconsistencies revealed during the 2023 general elections.

Experts advocated this view during a consultative meeting with election petition lawyers organized by the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in partnership with the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) and supported by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on Thursday.

Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, Adebayo Balogun, underscored the importance of collaboration between lawmakers, legal practitioners, and other stakeholders in ensuring a more transparent and effective electoral process.

Balogun “noted that while the Electoral Act 2022 introduced critical reforms—such as the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) Portal, early funding for INEC, and stricter electoral timelines—the 2023 elections exposed significant loopholes that require urgent legislative attention”.

He emphasized that the process of amending the electoral law must be inclusive, engaging all key stakeholders before, during, and after elections.

He further stressed the crucial role of election litigation lawyers in interpreting and testing the law, stating that their courtroom experiences provide invaluable insights into areas that need strengthening, clarification, or amendment.

Also the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, emphasized the urgent need to amend Nigeria’s electoral laws to address persistent legal challenges and restore public confidence in the electoral process.

He underscored the crucial role of legal practitioners in shaping a more effective electoral legal framework.

Alli acknowledged that election litigation lawyers, with their vast courtroom experience, are vital stakeholders in electoral reforms.

He noted that their expertise provides a unique perspective on the weaknesses of existing electoral laws, making them indispensable in crafting amendments that will reduce electoral disputes and unnecessary technicalities in the legal process.

Meanwhile, President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Afam Osigwe, also lamented the challenges of Nigeria’s electoral legal framework, particularly the role of the judiciary in electoral disputes.

Osigwe noted that though the Electoral Act 2022 was initially hailed as one of the most progressive pieces of electoral legislation, subsequent judicial interpretations had significantly distorted its intended impact.

He expressed concern over the contradictory and inconsistent judicial decisions that had emerged from recent election petitions.

Osigwe also criticized the interpretation of Section 137 of the Electoral Act, which, in his view, had undermined the legislature’s intention by shifting the burden of proof in ways that disadvantaged petitioners.

For the Executive Director of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Clement Nwankwo, commended the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Electoral Matters for its commitment to electoral reform.

He acknowledged that members of the committee had played a crucial role in the passage of the Electoral Act 2022 and expressed satisfaction that they remained committed to refining the law further.

Nwankwo emphasized the significance of collaboration between the House and Senate committees in ensuring that amendments to the Electoral Act are completed efficiently.

Reaffirming PLAC’s support for the committee’s work, Nwankwo expressed optimism that the lawmakers would take the input from the meeting seriously.

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who declared the event open, emphasized the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing Nigeria’s electoral legal challenges.

Represented by Senator Abdullahi Yahaya, he assured stakeholders that their contributions will be given serious legislative consideration.

Akpabio commended legal practitioners and election litigation experts for their commitment to strengthening the country’s electoral system.