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On an edition of the “Electoral Reform Hour” broadcasted on Kapital FM 92.9 and FRCN stations nationwide, Alhaji Hussain Pai and Ms. Faith Nwadishi addressed critical issues and solutions for Nigeria’s electoral system.  Alhaji Hussain Pai, the Sarkin yaki of Pai and a former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), and Ms. Faith Nwadishi, the Executive Director of the Centre for Transparency Advocacy (CTA), shared their insights on the ongoing challenges and potential solutions for Nigeria’s electoral system.

Alhaji Hussain Pai, who began his career as a teacher and rose to become the pioneer principal of Government Secondary School Yangoji, has held significant administrative roles including Executive Chairman of UBEB and Executive Secretary of FCDA. His tenure at INEC, marked by his service as REC in Ekiti, Kogi, Kano, and Plateau State, provided him with a unique perspective on the electoral process. He emphasized the need for reforms in the transmission of results, noting that discrepancies in electronically transmitted results were a major issue in the 2023 elections. Alhaji Pai stressed the importance of additional training for those handling electronic devices and called for legal reforms to empower INEC to update voter registers by removing deceased individuals’ names.

Ms. Faith Nwadishi, a chartered negotiator, mediator, and gender expert with a specialization in the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI), underscored the need for reforms across the entire electoral value chain. She highlighted the crucial role of political parties in the pre-election period, particularly in terms of internal democracy and candidate selection processes. Ms. Nwadishi also pointed out the importance of security agents’ roles during elections and the need for citizens to hold elected officials accountable post-election. She advocated for the harmonization of biometric data across various government databases to streamline voter registration and reduce redundancies.

Both speakers agreed on the importance of voter education and the need for citizens to actively participate in the electoral process, from ensuring the accuracy of voter registers to rejecting vote-buying practices. They also discussed the logistical and administrative challenges of conducting elections, with Alhaji Pai expressing concerns about the feasibility of one-day elections under the current manual and electronic hybrid system.

Ms. Nwadishi commended the progressive reforms introduced by INEC and called for continued stakeholder engagement to ensure that upcoming electoral amendments are people-centric and lead to better elections. She also emphasized the importance of attitudinal change among voters, political parties, and security agents to achieve free, fair, and credible elections.

As Nigeria prepares for future elections, the insights shared by Alhaji Hussain Pai and Ms. Faith Nwadishi highlight the need for comprehensive electoral reforms that address both technological and human factors. Their call for greater legal empowerment of INEC, improved training and resources, and enhanced voter education underscores the collective responsibility required to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy.

LISTEN TO THE FULL DISCUSSION HERE