Waiting for govt-led electoral reform a waste of time – Amaechi

Former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi yesterday said Nigerians waiting for government-led electoral reforms are “wasting their time,” insisting that only citizen-led pressure can compel genuine change in the country’s electoral system. Amaechi spoke at the National Electoral Reform Summit held in Abuja with the theme “Critical Constitutional Amendment for Credible Elections in 2027.” The […]

Former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi yesterday said Nigerians waiting for government-led electoral reforms are “wasting their time,” insisting that only citizen-led pressure can compel genuine change in the country’s electoral system.

Amaechi spoke at the National Electoral Reform Summit held in Abuja with the theme “Critical Constitutional Amendment for Credible Elections in 2027.” The event was organised by the National Consultative Front, Labour and Civil Society Front.

He argued that government has no incentive to introduce reforms that would limit the powers of politicians, noting that major civic groups that once drove social change have become weak.

“Citizens’ participation will stop those who don’t want reform. Will government give you reform? No, government will not give you reform,” he said.

Amaechi lamented that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), and National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) no longer play their traditional roles in national mobilisation.

“There is no NLC. There is no ASUU. There is no NANS,” he said, recalling that in the 1980s, “there was no student action without NLC and no student action without ASUU.”

He said corruption, institutional compromise, and the weakening rule of law have made accountability nearly impossible.

“It’s not that we lack law. What we lack is the rule of law,” Amaechi said. “Everybody is passing laws here and there, but nothing is happening.”

The former minister stressed that agitation for electoral reform must take place before elections, not after.

“If you are waiting for government to make any reform, you are wasting your time. Before election, there must be resistance because they don’t want proper election. If you do it after election, you are also wasting your time,” he said.

Amaechi accused a few individuals of enriching themselves through political power while most Nigerians suffer from hunger and poverty.

 

“Nigerians are hungry. If they are not hungry, I am hungry,” he said. “Those few people who are supporting the government say they are not hungry because they are joining in the stealing. The stealing is beyond what we fought for.”

He warned that without collective citizen action, political leaders will continue exploiting state institutions with impunity.

“If you don’t stop politicians, they will continue to steal, because the system does not stop them,” he said, adding that corrupt officials aligned with the government are often protected while opposition figures are targeted.

“If you are with the government and you are stealing, nothing will happen. But if you are not supporting the government, they will catch you for stealing billions of dollars,” he said.

Also speaking, political activist and former federal lawmaker, Usman Bugaje, said discussions on electoral reform have become repetitive, arguing that the focus should now be on addressing electoral malpractice.

“I have been in different committees on electoral matters, but every election seems to be worse than the previous one,” he said.

We can’t be repeating the same thing over and over again and expect different results,” he added.

 

Ezekwesili calls for stiffer penalties against vote buying

In her keynote address, former Minister of Education, Obiageli Ezekwesili called for stronger penalties to curb vote-buying, result falsification, and electoral violence in Nigeria, warning that weak sanctions continue to embolden offenders.

“Current penalties are often too weak to deter violations. Increasing fines and jail terms for vote-buying, results falsification, and violence would create real deterrence,” she said.

Ezekwesili stressed that repeat offenders exploit loopholes in the system, undermining public trust in democratic processes.

“The gap in enforcement is the reason people repeat behaviours that fraudulently infringe on our electoral system and democracy,” she added.

She also advocated granting the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) greater prosecutorial powers, arguing that reliance on the police and the Attorney General delays action against electoral crimes.

“Granting INEC its own prosecutorial unit or guaranteeing access to dedicated prosecutors would ensure timely action against electoral violations,” she said.