The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU-EOM) in Nigeria have jointly called for comprehensive electoral reforms to ensure that future elections, particularly the 2027 general polls, are free, fair, and credible.
During a high-level meeting in Abuja, the EU delegation, led by Chief of Mission and Member of the European Parliament, Mr. Barry Andrews, met with the ADC leadership headed by the party’s National Chairman, Senator David Mark, and National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.
The parley was part of the EU’s post-election review of the 2023 general elections, aimed at identifying gaps and recommending corrective actions ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Both parties expressed deep concern over the conduct of the 2023 elections, describing them as flawed and below the expectations of Nigerians. They criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the judiciary for failing to uphold the sanctity of the ballot and protect the people’s mandate.
The ADC accused INEC of betraying public confidence by failing to deliver on its promise of real-time transmission of results through the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. The party noted that the discrepancies between votes cast and declared results represented a serious blow to Nigeria’s democratic development.
As part of its reform proposals, the ADC recommended that the appointment of the INEC Chairman and National Commissioners should no longer be the sole prerogative of the President. Instead, political parties with at least five members in the National Assembly should be allowed to nominate candidates for such positions to ensure transparency and fairness.
The party also faulted the judiciary’s handling of electoral disputes, arguing that the courts should not override the will of the people. In cases of disputed outcomes, the ADC proposed that the final decision should revert to the electorate through a fresh democratic process rather than judicial rulings.
The ADC delegation included Senator David Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Liyel Imoke, Emeka Ihedioha, Babachir Lawal, Bolaji Abdullahi, Ibrahim Mani, and Chile Igbawua.
On the EU side, the delegation comprised Mr. Barry Andrews (Chief of Mission), Mr. Gautier Mignot (EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS), Mr. Ralph-Michael Peters (Election Expert and Team Lead), Ms. Eirini-Maria Gounari (Election Legal Expert), Mr. Maros Gabriel (Election Administration Expert), Ms. Laolu Olawumi (Programme Manager, Democracy and Rule of Law), Mr. Osaro Odemwingie (Political Adviser), and Mr. Ruben Alba Aguilera (Team Leader, EU Delegation).
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to deepening democracy in Nigeria, emphasizing that electoral integrity remains the cornerstone of good governance and national stability.
