Former Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mike Igini, has alleged that politicians have begun lobbying university professors and officials of federal agencies ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Igini made the allegation while speaking at the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue on Thursday.
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He said politicians were already reaching out to academics in university communities as part of efforts to influence the electoral process.
“As we are heading for election, as I speak to you, politicians are already going to the university communities to reach out to the professors, to the academics, and of course they try to use the federal agencies that INEC would normally use as collation officers and returning officers. They are already reaching out to them,” Igini said.
He argued that the credibility of elections in Nigeria and across Africa would depend largely on the independence and effectiveness of electoral management bodies.
Igini said political parties and the judiciary, which he described as essential organs of democratic practice, must also play stronger roles in protecting the integrity of elections.
According to him, Nigeria should emulate the United Kingdom by placing greater responsibility for the conduct of credible elections on the electoral management body.
He also called for a change from what he described as an adversarial approach to an inquisitorial method in dealing with electoral disputes.
Igini said such reforms were necessary to strengthen democracy and give the country a more hopeful political future.
