Nigeria’s path to the 2027 general elections faces a potential crisis as nearly half of the top leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) prepares to retire between December and next year.

Experts warn the transition could destabilise the nation’s democracy if new appointments are politically manipulated. Newspaper subscription bundles

At YIAGA Africa’s high-level roundtable on “Safeguarding the Independence of INEC” in Abuja, Executive Director Samson Itodo stressed the urgent need for competence, experience, and integrity in replacing outgoing commissioners and the chairman.

“We have to be worried about these transitions,” Itodo said. “Without investment in people who have the competence and independence to manage elections, INEC could be weakened, and the quality of the next elections will be compromised.”

He urged President Bola Tinubu to adopt a transparent process — publishing a shortlist of nominees for public scrutiny, inviting objections from citizens and civil society, and conducting rigorous interviews before Senate confirmation.

“The appointment process has too often been used as a political tool to capture INEC. This is an opportunity to inspire public confidence, not erode it further,” he warned.

Kole Shettima, Director of the MacArthur Foundation’s Nigeria office, called for civil society mobilisation to raise awareness of the looming vacancies. Newspaper subscription bundles

He urged the president to emulate former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, who commissioned an independent electoral reform panel after acknowledging flaws in the 2007 polls.

“The president should be mindful of his legacy. A transparent appointment process could restore trust ahead of 2027,” Shettima said.

Former INEC Commissioner Festus Okoye lamented civil society’s absence during past screening processes, stressing the need for proactive engagement.

“We must change strategy. If we’ve worked in elections for decades, we should recommend capable names, not wait to react after flawed appointments are made,” Okoye said.

Itodo also pushed for the National Assembly to conclude ongoing electoral reforms by October. With just 554 days to the next general elections, he warned that delays could worsen tensions already heightened by early campaign activities.

“If this country can pass other bills in hours, there’s no reason why the electoral amendment can’t be concluded swiftly,” he argued. (Saturday Guardian)