By Annette Ikponmwonba | October 20, 2026
Key Points
· Former INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner Mike Igini has warned Nigerians not to focus only on the electoral body ahead of the 2027 election
· He spoke on Tuesday in an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show
· He said Nigerians must pay attention to the activities of the political elite before, during and after elections
· Igini said Nigeria must continue to improve and deploy technology in its electoral process as and when due
· He raised fresh concerns over courts deciding elections that should be concluded at polling units
· He said INEC, election officials, the judiciary and politicians seeking office will all be judged in 2027
Main Story
A former Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mike Igini, has warned Nigerians not to focus only on the electoral body ahead of the 2027 election. He gave the warning on Tuesday while fielding questions on Arise Television’s Morning Show.
Igini said Nigerians must pay attention to the activities of the political elite before, during and after elections. He warned that the general elections will be more than a test for Nigeria’s democracy, and said the country must continue to improve and deploy technology in its electoral process as and when due.
He also raised fresh concerns over the role of courts in deciding elections, warning that polls that ought to be concluded at the polling units are now being determined in the courtroom. “The 2027 general elections will be more than a test. INEC will be judged, and officials, judiciary will be judged,” he said.
The Issues
Igini’s message widens the usual conversation about election credibility. Public attention tends to fall on INEC, but he is arguing that the conduct of politicians, who often drive violence, vote-buying and disputes, deserves equal scrutiny, His concern about the courts reflects a growing frustration in Nigeria, where election outcomes are increasingly settled by tribunals and appeal courts rather than at the ballot box. That trend can weaken public confidence, since voters may feel their choices matter less than legal arguments after the fact, His call for technology to be improved and deployed as and when due also touches on a debate that has surrounded recent election cycles, including how results are transmitted and how much trust the process commands.
What’s Being Said
Igini framed 2027 as a moment of accountability for every institution and actor involved. “More importantly, the politicians who are seeking for political office will be judged,” he said.
He added: “And indeed, the figures of providence will pass a verdict on them in the 2027 election.”
What’s Next
Attention will turn to how INEC prepares for the 2027 elections, including its use of technology, and to whether reforms address the growing role of the courts in deciding outcomes. Political parties and candidates will also face scrutiny over their conduct as campaigns build, Igini’s remarks are likely to feed ongoing debate among civil society, election observers and political actors about what must change before voters go to the polls.
Bottom Line
Igini is warning that 2027 will be a verdict on everyone involved, not just INEC, with the judiciary and politicians equally in the spotlight, and with the integrity of Nigeria’s democracy at stake.
