As Nigeria braces for the 2027 general elections, the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) has called for a total reform of the Nigerian Electoral Act, aimed at rescuing the country's democracy from its recurring cycle of electoral fraud, disenfranchisement, and institutional weakness.

At a press briefing in Abuja, PAACA Executive Director, Chief Ezenwa Nwagwu, unveiled a detailed memorandum proposing a comprehensive raft of constitutional, legal, and administrative reform of Nigeria Electoral Act.

These reforms, he insisted, are not merely desirable but essential to ensuring the credibility and inclusiveness of future elections in Nigeria.

"We cannot continue to recycle a broken system and expect a different outcome," Nwagwu declared. "These proposals are not mere recommendations - they are democratic imperatives."

A central pillar of PAACA's memorandum is the bold demand to completely insulate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from executive manipulation. The group expressed deep concern over the existing practice in which the President appoints the Commission's leadership and its budget remains subject to annual appropriations. This structure, PAACA argued significantly undermines INEC's independence.

To address this concern, PAACA proposed the establishment of a broad-based selection committee for the appointment of INEC officials. This committee, it said, should be composed of representatives from civil society, the judiciary, the National Judicial Council, and the National Assembly. "We must remove the leash of executive control if INEC is to truly act independently," Nwagwu said. "Appointments should no longer be at the mercy of the political class."

The proposal further recommendsed that INEC officials serve non-renewable five-year terms and that they should only be removed upon conviction for gross misconduct. As part of its measures to secure financial autonomy for the Commission, PAACA insisted that INEC's funding should be drawn as a first-line charge from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, shielding it from political interference.

PAACA also expressed strong dissatisfaction with what it described as the "glacial pace of justice" in addressing electoral crimes. It noted the pervasiveness of impunity for offenses such as ballot box snatching, vote-buying, and falsification of results, which continue to erode public trust in the electoral system. To remedy this, it called for the creation of a Special Electoral. Offences Commission and the establishment of dedicated courts with a mandate to conclude electoral offense cases within 90 days. "How can justice serve as a deterrent when it arrives years too late, or not at all?" Nwagwu asked rhetorically. "Election offenders must know there are swift, real consequences."

To deepen electoral accountability, the organization proposed a 10-year ban from contesting public office for any individual convicted of an electoral offense, describing such a sanction as a powerful deterrent. PAACA also pushed for a constitutional amendment to prevent candidates with unresolved election petitions from being sworn into office. The current practice, which allows politicians to assume office while legal challenges against their elections are still pending, was criticized by the group as a loophole that "incentivizes stolen mandates." Nwagwu said, "Let the courts speak before the oath. You cannot put someone in office, only to find out later they were never the rightful winner."

To modernise and expand electoral participation, PAACA strongly advocates for the introduction of diaspora voting through Nigeria's foreign missions and, eventually, through secure digital platforms. The group emphasised the immense financial and emotional contributions of Nigerians living abroad, insisting that they deserve a say in who governs their homeland. "Millions of Nigerians abroad want to vote; they send billions home and deserve a voice," Nwagwu emphasised.

The memorandum also supported the synchronisation of all tiers of elections-presidential, legislative, and governorship - to be conducted on a single day. PAACA expressed belief that holding elections on the same day would reduce costs, minimise the risk of violence, and enhance voter turnout. On party discipline and political consistency, PAACA proposed a constitutional provision that would strip lawmakers of their seats if they defect from the political party under which they were elected. Exceptions would only be granted in cases of mergers or proven cases of expulsion by their original parties.

One of the most urgent and technically detailed aspects of the memorandum concerns election result management and voter identification. PAACA called for an amendment of Section 60(5) of the Electoral Act to make the electronic transmission of results and their upload to the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal within 48 hours a legal obligation. "This amendment is necessary to remove ambiguity and to compel real-time transparency in the collation process," PAACA stressed.

In addition to this, the organisation pushed for the legal recognition of the IREV portal within the Nigeria Electoral Act. "The IREV portal must be given legal status to ensure transparency tools are not just voluntary, but enforceable and binding," the memorandum stated. PAACA maintains that INEC's transparency instruments must be protected by law, not just by policy.

The group also seeks an amendment to Section 47(1) to accommodate other forms of identification such as National Identity Number (NIN) slips, driver's licenses, and international passports during voter accreditation. It insists that "accepting other government-issued IDs will ease accreditation challenges and expand voter access."

On the subject of media regulation during campaigns, PAACA proposed that media organizations, rather than individual journalists, should be held primarily accountable for campaign violations-except in cases of proven personal misconduct. It argued that institutional accountability is more effective in promoting compliance with ethical broadcasting standards.

PAACA also recommended the adoption of early voting for election workers and security personnel. "Those ensuring our democracy should not be excluded from it," Nwagwu noted, emphasizing that current electoral logistics often disenfranchise those assigned to work during elections.

The memorandum further called for the regulation of nomination fees, proposing that caps be instituted to promote political inclusion. It argues that excessive nomination fees limit access to political office, particularly for women, young people, and persons with disabilities. PAACA, therefore, recommended mandatory waivers or discounts to level the political playing field. "We must level the political playing field if democracy is to reflect all voices," it affirmed.

Alongside these structural proposals, PAACA outlined an array of administrative interventions to bolster electoral integrity and participation. These include intensified civic education through coordinated efforts between INEC, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), and civil society organizations, particularly in local languages. It advocated for the harmonization of identity systems - linking the Permanent Voter Card (PVC), NIN, and driver's license - to streamline voter registration. It also proposed the use of mock logistics exercises and outsourcing to private contractors to address the perennial problem of late arrival of electoral materials.

Furthermore, the memorandum urged the institutionalisation of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) as a statutory body for improved coordination. PAACA expressed belief integrating civic tech solutions into INEC's operations would modernize voter engagement processes. On the issue of gender equity, the group recommends stricter INEC monitoring of political party primaries and candidate selection processes to promote women's political participation.

Chief Nwagwu concluded the briefing with a strong appeal to lawmakers, political parties, and civil society actors. "We stand at a historic crossroads. These reforms are not partisan - they are patriotic. If we fail to act now, 2027 may become another missed opportunity."