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As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, ICT expert and civic tech innovator, Samuel Folorunsho, has stressed that reform laws alone are not enough, they must be enforced, monitored, and backed by strong civic advocacy. Speaking on Electoral Reforms Half Hour, Folorunsho, the creator of the Legis360 platform, emphasized the urgent need for legal, technological, and institutional reforms to restore credibility to Nigeria’s elections.

Ahead of the official launch of two policy-shaping documents—the “We the People” Memorandum by the Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) and the Legislative Engagement Report by Legis360 in collaboration with PAACA, Folorunsho provided insight into the reforms being proposed. Chief among them is insulating INEC from executive interference, especially in the appointment of its leadership. Citing controversies like the 2023 Adamawa incident, he emphasized the need for a joint committee-led appointment process to safeguard INEC’s neutrality.

Folorunsho also called for clearer legal language in the Electoral Act regarding result transmission. Current ambiguities around terms like “transfer” and “transmission,” he argued, have led to misinterpretation and weakened legal enforcement. The proposed amendment seeks to mandate electronic transmission of results to both collation centers and the IReV platform, making such results admissible for collation and legal scrutiny.

He reiterated his support for the creation of an Electoral Offences Commission, stating that INEC alone cannot prosecute electoral crimes. “We’ve seen consistent exploitation of this loophole,” he said, “but if this commission is set up correctly and independently, it can help curb impunity.” He added that reforms should go beyond legislation,citizens must ensure accountability after laws are passed.

On diaspora and early voting, Folorunsho stressed that the two must be pursued together. “The same technology and structure that supports early voting locally can also support diaspora participation,” he explained. However, he noted that existing legal provisions that tie voters to specific polling units must be amended before diaspora voting can be realized.

Addressing technological misconceptions, he clarified that electronic voting is not internet voting, and that no credible democracy fully automates its elections. Instead, he advocated for a strategic use of technology, such as biometric verification and electronic transmission to reduce polling day fraud and litigation.

The conversation also highlighted the findings of the Legis360, Legislative Engagement Report, which tracked over 3,000 bills introduced by the 10th National Assembly. According to Folorunsho, about 40 laws have been signed by the president so far, with notable focus on education, judicial reforms, and defence, including the establishment of DICON and the Control of Small Arms Act. However, symbolic laws, such as the National Anthem Act, drew criticism for lacking developmental impact.

On legislative transparency, he called for the National Assembly to embrace digital platforms like Legis360 to enhance access to bills, motions, and committee reports. He acknowledged some progress, such as informal updates on WhatsApp but insisted that more formal, open-access systems are needed.

In closing, Folorunsho underscored that advocacy remains the most powerful civic tool. “It’s not enough to pass laws,” he said. “Citizens must push for implementation, especially at the state level if real change is to come before 2027.”