A former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) official, Mike Igini, has warned that provisions in the Electoral Act 2026 could enable electoral fraud in the 2027 general elections. Mr Igini, who served as resident electoral commissioner in Akwa Ibom State until his retirement in 2022, raised concerns during an Arise News TV interview on Wednesday. He cited Section 63(2) of the Act, which allows a returning officer to count a ballot paper without an official INEC security mark if the officer is "satisfied" it came from the correct ballot book. He described the use of the word "satisfied" as dangerous, noting it had previously existed in Section 49 of the Electoral Act 2010 and took 12 years to repeal due to abuse risks. Mr Igini warned that politicians with access to INEC's ballot security features could print fake ballot papers ahead of the election.
He also criticized Section 138(2), which states that an act or omission contrary to INEC directives but not to the Act itself cannot be grounds for questioning an election. This, he said, weakens INEC's regulations and guidelines, allowing presiding officers to disregard official procedures without consequence. Section 137, which allows INEC to defend electoral officers in petitions without requiring the officers to be formally joined, was also flagged as a threat to accountability. Mr Igini recalled past incidents where forged documents were upheld by tribunals after INEC disowned them. He referenced a case involving falsification in favour of Godswill Akpabio, who lost a senatorial election but later won in 2023 and became Senate president. He said ad hoc staff had previously been bribed with dollars and told they would not face tribunal prosecution due to legal protections now reinstated in the new law.
Mike Igini is highlighting a contradiction in the Electoral Act 2026: it empowers INEC officers to validate ballots without security features while shielding them from personal liability during election disputes. This creates a situation where ballot papers printed by politicians could be accepted without consequence, and the officials who approve them face no direct legal risk. Nigerians named in past election controversies, like Godswill Akpabio, may benefit from a system where forged results are harder to challenge. The law, as interpreted, allows manipulation at the operational level while removing accountability from those executing it.
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