Fixing the System: How Electoral Reforms Can Save Nigeria’s Democracy
By Anthony Ada Abraham
I had a long and meaningful conversation with my old friend, Sunny Anderson Osiebe , about the urgent need for genuine reforms in Nigeria’s electoral system. It started after he made a post that said, “The worst civilian government is still better than the best military regime. Have sense.”
Now, I’ve never been one to support military rule, especially because I born and grew up in the barracks and saw things firsthand. My father, a retired soldier, faced a life-threatening moment during the Babangida coup years ago. Soldiers stormed our home at Mile 2 Signal Barracks, searching for weapons. By God’s grace, he hadn’t brought any home that day, that was what saved him. And my late mum who worked with military exchange was also not entangled in that.
We’ve seen what military governments did to this country…the fear, the abuse of power, and the loss of freedom. Despite how frustrating our democracy can be, I still believe that even the weakest civilian government is better than any military regime.
However, the truth remains that many politicians are partly to blame for why the military even considers stepping in at all. Their greed, corruption, and lack of accountability make the system look broken. And each time a coup happens, it’s always justified with the same excuse, “there’s too much corruption.” Why should we keep giving them a reason to say that?
If we really want to put an end to such thoughts, we need to fix the system. Stop celebrating corruption. Stop silencing citizens who speak the truth. Stop persecuting opposition voices simply because they challenge those in power.
Anderson made a solid point, I agree with him completely. Our electoral system must work this time. The process must be transparent, fair, and free from manipulation or external interference.
The responsibility now lies with the new INEC chairman, Mr Joash Ojo Amupitan. This is his chance to write his name in gold by ensuring that the 2027 elections are the most credible in our nation’s history. He must let the will of the people prevail—Nigerians deserve to choose their leaders without interference or rigging.
Our institutions are weak, and that weakness has held us back for decades. They must be rebuilt and strengthened if we want lasting progress.
I’ve never supported military dictatorship, and I never will. No right-thinking person should. Nigeria will be great again that I’m sure. Those who doubt this country’s future need to rethink, because sooner than later, Nigeria will become a nation that the whole world will want to visit, invest in, and proudly associate with.
Anthony Ada Abraham
