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Dr. Chris Kwaja, a leading voice in governance and democratization, has offered a critical analysis of the challenges facing Nigeria’s electoral system. Speaking on Electoral Reform Hour, Dr. Kwaja shed light on why seeking justice in election disputes remains a privilege for the wealthy rather than a right accessible to all citizens.

Dr. Kwaja is the Country Director for Nigeria at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) and an expert in governance, democratization, human rights, and security. He has served in several key roles, including chairperson of the UN Working Group on Mercenaries and Commissioner for Local Government in Plateau State. With over 100 scholarly publications, Dr. Kwaja is a respected authority on issues of peace and development in Nigeria and beyond.

During the discussion, Dr. Kwaja criticized the high costs and prolonged nature of election dispute adjudication, stating, “The search for election-related justice is not for the poor; it’s for the rich.” He explained that many Nigerians cannot afford the financial burden of hiring legal representation or enduring years of court battles. This, he noted, leaves ordinary citizens feeling powerless and distrustful of the electoral process.

Dr. Kwaja also highlighted flaws in Part 8 of the Electoral Act, which governs how election petitions are handled. He described cases where judicial decisions favored candidates not chosen by the people, undermining the legitimacy of elections and increasing voter apathy.

In addition, Dr. Kwaja emphasized the need to reform the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure its independence. He pointed out that the influence of the executive in appointing INEC officials erodes public trust and called for a more transparent and merit-based process to strengthen the commission’s credibility.

Dr. Kwaja also discussed the potential of electronic voting in Nigeria, describing it as both achievable and necessary. However, he stressed the importance of addressing cybersecurity risks and ensuring the integrity of INEC’s systems to make electronic voting viable.

Finally, he criticized the lack of enforcement against election-related offenses, such as vote buying and campaign finance violations. He argued that INEC must take decisive action to hold offenders accountable and restore faith in the electoral process.

As the discussion concluded, Dr. Kwaja underscored that the most critical reform is to ensure free and fair elections where the will of the people prevails. “Credible elections solve most of the problems. If people feel their votes count, trust in the system will grow, and democracy will thrive,” he said.

Dr. Kwaja’s insights serve as a wake-up call for stakeholders to address the systemic barriers that hinder justice and inclusivity in Nigeria’s electoral process