Ahead of 2027, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the National Assembly for urgent legislative action on electoral reforms, as it hosted a high level delegation from the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) in Abuja on Tuesday.
The post election review mission, aimed at assessing Nigeria’s progress in implementing recommendations from the 2023 general elections, became a platform for INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to demand immediate reforms.
“The Commission has already taken administrative steps on the 13 recommendations addressed to us, while we await legislative interventions from the National Assembly on matters requiring legal reform.
“These reforms are also captured in INEC’s 142-point recommendation document for electoral reform, which was developed through extensive consultation with stakeholders and is available on our website”, Yakubu stated.
The ECONEC delegation, led by Liberia’s National Elections Commission Chairperson Davidetta Browne-Lansanah, included electoral experts from Ghana, ECOWAS, and international partners such as GIZ, EISA, and International IDEA.
Yakubu described the mission as a “routine but critical” component of democratic consolidation in West Africa, noting Nigeria’s own participation in similar peer reviews, including a recent assessment in The Gambia.
He acknowledged ECOWAS for its 37 post-2023 election recommendations, with 13 directed at INEC and 24 targeting other stakeholders, including the National Assembly, security agencies, and media regulators.
Browne-Lansanah, visibly moved during her remarks, highlighted Nigeria’s leadership in regional electoral support, recalling INEC’s assistance in establishing Liberia’s ICT infrastructure.
“Because of your intervention, we now have an ICT room in Liberia,” she said.
“When we needed support, ECONEC and Nigeria responded. And that, to me, speaks volumes about solidarity and true leadership.” She framed the mission as a peer-learning opportunity, stressing that Nigeria’s electoral challenges—and solutions—resonate across West Africa.
Yakubu’s insistence on legislative urgency underscores growing impatience with delays in enacting reforms critical for credible future polls. His reference to INEC’s 142-point plan, publicly accessible for scrutiny, signals a push for transparency amid lingering scepticism over Nigeria’s electoral process.
The meeting also spotlighted the role of international partners, with Yakubu singling out technical advisers from EISA, International IDEA, and GIZ for their contributions.
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