Chidoka Flags Institutional Weakness as Nigeria’s Biggest Electoral Threat

Former Aviation Minister and Chancellor of the Athena Centre for Policy and Leadership, Osita Chidoka, has said that Nigeria’s democratic challenges stem from weak institutions, not failures in electoral technology.

Chidoka spoke on Monday during a review of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) innovations in electoral technology (2015–2025), organised by the Athena Centre in Abuja. The event also marked the launch of the Athena Election Observatory, an initiative aimed at monitoring and documenting electoral reforms, innovations, and governance trends across Africa.

The forum, themed “Innovation in Electoral Technology 2015–2025: Gains, Gaps, and the Road Ahead”, brought together academics, policymakers, civil society leaders, and election experts to assess how technology has shaped Nigeria’s electoral process over the past decade, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Chidoka stressed that strong institutions, not individuals, make democracy work. “When institutions are weak, the system becomes personalised and unaccountable,” he said. He added that the electoral umpire must not be seen as a player, warning that without transparency, democracy becomes a shadow of itself.

Highlighting findings from Athena audits and a joint survey with NOIPolls, Chidoka said most Nigerians recognise electoral technology as crucial for credible elections. However, he noted that its impact relies on consistent enforcement and visible transparency.

To strengthen electoral processes, Chidoka proposed amending the Electoral Act to make BVAS, IReV, and ERMS mandatory, with clear fallback provisions and penalties for non-compliance. He also urged ward-level result uploads, institutionalised post-election audits, and operational upgrades for INEC, including server enhancements, pre-election stress testing, and partnerships with telecom providers.

Chidoka recommended creating a Digital Election Corps to professionalise ICT management and revamping the Collation Tracking and Data Analytics System (CT-DAS) as a public-facing early warning platform integrating reports from civil society and election observers.

“While 65 percent of Nigerians express some trust in INEC, 35 percent report no trust. This underscores a fragile confidence baseline,” he said. He called for real-time publication of BVAS accreditation data, transparent communication during system glitches, and timely release of post-election audit results.

He also urged Nigeria to align its electoral reforms with global standards, citing the Philippines, Mexico, and Kenya, where technology-driven processes enhanced transparency and trust. “Adapting these practices to Nigeria will show that INEC benchmarks itself against global standards, reinforcing Nigeria’s role as a regional leader in electoral innovation,” he concluded.