ABUJA, Nigeria. Cardinal John Onaiyekan has called for major changes to Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that election victories should be determined by voters at polling stations rather than prolonged battles before election tribunals and courts.
Onaiyekan made the call while delivering the keynote address at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference in Enugu, organised by the Nigerian Guild of Editors. The conference focused on protecting democracy, strengthening the ballot and tackling the growing threat of artificial intelligence driven misinformation during elections.
The Catholic Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja said the judiciary should serve as the final stage for resolving genuine electoral disputes, rather than becoming the place where the winner of an election is effectively decided.
He said Nigeria’s recent electoral experience had seen an increasing number of political contests move from polling stations into courtrooms, raising concerns about public confidence in elections and democratic institutions.
Onaiyekan argued that when elections are properly conducted, there should be limited need for prolonged legal battles. He said election tribunals were created to handle disputes when they arise, not to replace the choice made by voters.
He also raised concerns about allegations of questionable decisions in some election tribunals and said such perceptions had damaged confidence in the judiciary.
The Cardinal proposed a broad package of electoral reforms ahead of 2027. Among his proposals is the creation of a special tribunal dedicated to election cases, with a clear deadline for resolving petitions.
He also called for election disputes to be settled before elected candidates take office. His argument is that a candidate should not assume office and then use the resources of government while defending the election victory in court against a challenger.
Another major proposal is a review of the process for appointing the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Onaiyekan argued that INEC needs stronger independence from the executive arm of government if Nigerians are to have greater confidence in the electoral process.
He also proposed that a presidential candidate should secure at least 50 percent of votes cast to be declared the winner, a change from the current constitutional framework.
Onaiyekan urged Nigerians not to abandon democracy because of its weaknesses. He said the goal should remain a government freely chosen by citizens and committed to serving the common good.
The former Nigerian Bar Association President, Afam Osigwe, SAN, also raised concerns about the large number of election petitions in Nigeria.
Speaking on election petitions, digital evidence, BVAS and the INEC Result Viewing Portal, Osigwe said the courts had become deeply involved in determining electoral outcomes. He questioned whether election technology was making it easier or harder for candidates to prove alleged irregularities before tribunals.
The conference also focused heavily on artificial intelligence and its potential impact on the 2027 elections.
Information Minister Mohammed Idris, represented at the event by News Agency of Nigeria Managing Director Ali M. Ali, warned that AI could make it easier to create fake photographs, videos, audio recordings and documents that appear genuine.
The Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe, similarly warned that manipulated content could falsely place political candidates at events they never attended or make public officials appear to say things they never said.
Nigerian Guild of Editors President Eze Anaba said the credibility of the ballot must be protected so that courts would not have to replace voters in deciding who represents them.
Political economist Professor Patrick Utomi also warned about the wider consequences of weak electoral institutions, while Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah urged journalists to strengthen investigative reporting and establish facts as AI generated misinformation becomes more difficult to detect.
The conference brought together editors, political figures, legal experts, media leaders and other stakeholders as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.
The central message from the discussions was that credible voting, trusted electoral institutions, timely resolution of disputes and reliable information will be critical to public confidence in the next election.
For Onaiyekan, the key issue is straightforward: voters should determine who governs Nigeria at the ballot box, while courts should settle disputes arising from the process rather than becoming the final place where electoral victories are decided.
