Atiku electoral reform call highlights risk to democracy as ex-VP urges judicial and electoral law changes for credible elections
Atiku electoral reform call has stirred renewed debate on Nigeria’s democratic future, as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar warned that continued judicial interference in electoral outcomes could erode public confidence and weaken democracy.
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In a statement issued Thursday, Atiku said that unless urgent reforms are enacted, elections in Nigeria risk becoming mere formalities decided by judges rather than by the electorate.
While applauding the increased public interest in the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration, Atiku expressed concern that enthusiasm does not translate to high voter turnout.
He cited the 2023 general election as a glaring example, where only 24.9 million out of 93.47 million registered voters participated—the lowest since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999.
To reverse this worrying trend, Atiku called for a robust review of the Electoral Act, particularly the mandatory use of BVAS (Bimodal Voter Accreditation System) and electronic transmission of results at all election levels.
“The collation of results must strictly be based on figures uploaded on the INEC Result Viewing Portal,” he said, rejecting any manual collation practices that allow manipulation.
Atiku also called for reforms in the appointment process of INEC leadership, proposing that such appointments be determined through a transparent voting mechanism rather than presidential nomination alone.
This, he believes, would enhance the commission’s credibility and independence.
Another bold reform suggested by Atiku is the shift of burden of proof in election petitions from petitioners to INEC.
According to him, it should be INEC’s legal duty to prove it complied with all regulations during the election process.
Quoting legal scholar Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, Atiku referenced the book The Selectorate: When Judges Topple the People, warning that placing the final power of electoral legitimacy in the hands of judges undermines the principle of democracy.
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“The task ahead is to ensure that Nigerians freely choose their leaders at the ballot box without fear that their mandate will be overturned in court,” Atiku emphasized.
