Passage of the Electoral Act – A story of partnership in action
On Friday, the 25th?of February, President Buhari assented to the Electoral Bill 2022, amending the previous Bill of 2010.?This was a welcome conclusion to a decade-long effort to amend the Electoral Act, Nigeria’s principal electoral law and one that the UK is grateful to have had the chance to play a significant role in supporting.?
The enactment of the law will help the electoral management body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders to deliver credible elections in the country in early 2023.
Amending the Act
There are a number of significant reforms introduced in the?Act.?Firstly, it strengthens the independence of INEC by providing safeguards for the political neutrality of those appointed into the Commission.?It provides for the early release of funds to the Commission to enhance its preparations for the polls next year, addressing a major issue that affected planning for the last general elections in 2019.
The use of technology in the electoral system dominated conversations throughout much of the reform process and for good reason. INEC has been proactive in integrating technology in its operations since the last elections, including a results viewing portal (IReV) that makes the collation of election results more transparency and efficient.?In the last year, INEC also introduced a Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) device to improve the accreditation of voters and simultaneously upload election results onto INEC’s result viewing portal.?
The Electoral Act 2022 provides a firm legal backing for the application of these technological solutions.?Equally significant is the guarantees provided for the meaningful participation of people living with disabilities in the electoral process in the Act.
Photo credit @ INEC Nigeria
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Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) device
Advocating for the passage
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is a long-term supporter of Nigeria and Nigeria’s democracy and welcomes this reform of the legal framework for elections in Nigeria.?
The UK’s active support of efforts to bring about this outcome spans the decade it took to get there.?It includes supporting the work of committees in the National Assembly during the drafting stage of the bill through our Deepening Democracy in Nigeria (DDIN) Programme. FCDO also provided support to many of the Nigerian Civil Society Organisations that played a crucial role coordinating targeted advocacy for the passage of the Act.?For example, The UK Aid-funded Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room played a crucial role in mobilizing the voices of citizens to call for the Act’s passage and for specific provisions critical to strengthening the electoral system such as allowing INEC to electronically transmit election results.
The reform of the legal framework is one that reoccurred multiple times as a theme in the recommendations of several international observation missions after the 2019 elections.?FCDO has been actively working alongside international partners to help amplify the voice of Nigerian civil society so that their Nigeria-led advocacy and engagement with the leadership of legislative and executive institutions resonated.?This has been a longstanding essential engagement relationship throughout the reform process.?
A conversation to be continued
Away from the final outcome, the decade-long road to the legal reform of Nigeria’s electoral system demonstrates the intricacies and multi-layered conversations and bargains required to achieve meaningful reform in a democratic context, even where primary interests of key stakeholders are aligned.?
With the President’s assent to the Act, two things are paramount going forward:?Nigerian citizens and partners are in a more confident place as we approach the 2023 general elections as the Act provides INEC a more supportive and firmer legal foundation to prepare for the polls.?
Secondly, there are no illusions that the passage of the Electoral Act alone is a guarantee for more transparent and credible elections in 2023.?The effective implementation of the Act by all stakeholders will be the determining factor for success next year.?
[The UK Minister for Africa, Vicky Ford met INEC chairperson, Mahmood Yakubu during her visit to Nigeria in March 2022]
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About the Author:
Dr Matthew Ayibakuro is a Governance Adviser with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office Nigeria. His work is focused on elections and strengthening democratic institutions and values in Nigeria.?