Former Osun State Governor and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has called for an overhaul of Nigeria’s electoral system to restore public confidence and guarantee credible elections.
Speaking at the launch of the Athena Election Observatory (AEO) and the presentation of a report titled “Innovation in Electoral Technology (2015–2025): Gains, Gaps, and the Road Ahead” by the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, Aregbesola faulted the current system where the sitting president appoints the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He described the practice as a major threat to transparency and fairness.
According to him, “The principal beneficiary of manipulation should not be the one to nominate who chairs INEC.”
Aregbesola proposed a new model where all political parties with at least five members in the National Assembly would nominate representatives to jointly lead INEC. He argued that such a structure would reduce partisanship and inspire greater public confidence.
“Let political parties with at least five members in the National Assembly nominate those who will lead the Commission. That will inspire confidence and resolve the major issues undermining our elections,” he said.
The former governor stressed that public trust in elections begins with the process of appointing INEC officials. He also cautioned against the premature announcement of results before full collation is completed.
Aregbesola urged INEC to physically demonstrate the technologies it plans to deploy for the 2027 general elections, to prevent confusion or distrust on election day.
“Don’t tell us you are using BVAS or IReV only for us to see something different on election day. Physically demonstrate the system so Nigerians can understand how it works,” he stated.
He further advised linking voter registration to the National Identification Number (NIN) to prevent multiple registrations and strengthen the integrity of voter data. On the role of the judiciary, Aregbesola insisted that courts must protect the people’s mandate and avoid installing losers through technical rulings.
“The minimum that should happen in any disputed election is for the court to order a fresh poll not to decide for the people,” he maintained.
