PAACA Urges Nigerians to Master Electoral Act for Stronger Democracy

PAACA Calls for Electoral Awareness Among Nigerians

The Peering Advocacy and Advancement Center in Africa (PAACA) has called on Nigerian voters, political parties, and the media to familiarize themselves with the Electoral Act. The organization stressed that understanding electoral laws is essential for holding leaders accountable and ensuring fair and transparent elections.

Speaking at a one-day citizens’ town hall meeting on electoral reforms in Yola, Adamawa State, PAACA’s Executive Director, Ezenwa Nwagwu, highlighted the critical role of voter education in strengthening democracy. He noted that informed citizens make better choices at the polls, thereby improving governance.

Voter Education Goes Beyond Casting Ballots

During his speech, Nwagwu emphasized that voter education is more than just knowing how to vote. It includes civic education, which helps citizens understand their rights, responsibilities, and the political system.

“One of the things that happen is that people talk about elections as if it is an all-comers affair. But election processes must be understood,” he said.

Despite advancements in technology, Nwagwu pointed out that Nigeria’s electoral system remains largely manual. He explained that votes are counted and collated manually before results are recorded on Form EC8A. This form is then photographed using the BVAS machine and uploaded to the INEC Result Viewing (IREV) portal.

Political Parties Need to Take Electoral Innovations Seriously

Nwagwu criticized political parties for failing to fully utilize INEC’s innovations meant to improve election credibility. According to him, party agents receive polling unit results but often fail to use them to verify uploaded results.

“Party agents who have polling unit election results in their hands often pocket them instead of using them to crosscheck what INEC uploads,” he stated.

He also clarified that the IREV portal is strictly a viewing platform, not a collation center.

“Why are politicians not collating the results given at polling units to verify what INEC uploads? IREV is not a collation center — it is a viewing center,” he emphasized.

Challenges and the Need for Electoral Reforms

While acknowledging improvements in Nigeria’s electoral system, Nwagwu pointed out areas that still need attention, especially logistics.

“Our elections are improving. But we are not following the improvements that are taking place,” he said.

He urged citizens to identify areas that require reform, citing persistent logistical challenges such as late poll openings.

“Every system that sees improvement also has room for further enhancement. We want citizens to identify specific areas that require more reforms. For instance, INEC’s logistics remain a challenge. Polls do not open on time — what can be done to improve this?” he asked.

Citizens Must Stay Engaged in Democracy

Dr. Bulila Nyahama Daniel from the National Orientation Agency (NOA) also spoke at the event, stressing the importance of civic engagement. He urged Nigerians to take an active role in the electoral process and contribute to strengthening democracy.

The meeting, supported by the MacArthur Foundation, brought together representatives from civil society organizations (CSOs), political parties, security agencies, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the National Orientation Agency (NOA), the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), FIDA, and the media.

By increasing voter education and ensuring proper use of electoral tools, PAACA believes Nigeria can achieve more transparent and credible elections, ultimately fostering a stronger democracy.