According to Channels TV on Sunday, April 26, 2026, former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Resident Electoral Commissioner, Mike Igini, addressed leaders at a national opposition summit in Ibadan regarding electoral reforms.
Igini stated at the 1:34 mark that during his ten-year tenure at the commission, systems were developed to handle long-standing challenges in election service delivery.
He revealed at the 3:15 mark that any democracy lacking a vibrant opposition contains a political weakness that eventually leads to its destruction.
The former commissioner argued at the 4:34 mark that even the best laws and technologies will fail unless they are implemented by men and women of integrity.
Igini insisted at the 5:26 mark that the electoral commission, the judiciary, and security agencies are the three key institutions responsible for preventing election rigging.
He maintained at the 6:27 mark that periodic elections provide citizens with their only opportunity to exercise their sovereignty by choosing or rejecting leaders.
The legal expert revealed at the 8:55 mark that he has identified several troubling provisions in current laws that require immediate amendment by the National Assembly.
He challenged political parties at the 9:12 mark to immediately approach the legislature to present these provisions for urgent correction before the 2027 cycle.
Igini argued at the 12:48 mark that the burden of proof regarding how an election was conducted should rest on the commission rather than the petitioner.
He insisted at the 13:24 mark that since the commission recruits staff and prints ballots, it is in the best position to explain the process at the tribunal.
The former official revealed at the 16:05 mark that political parties must train their polling unit agents rigorously to ensure results are protected at the source.
He maintained at the 17:17 mark that all political parties must be given equal airtime on state-owned television stations as a matter of right.
Igini insisted that the police are only required to provide security for political rallies and lack the legal authority to grant or deny permission for such events.
He concluded by stating that no group of people is good enough to lead without the express support and mandate of the Nigerian people.
