“At the 21st Annual Nigerian Association of Government and Election (ANGE) forum, Professor Awa Kalu warned that without credible internal democracy, the electoral process is at risk of becoming a charade, further deepening the trust deficit among Nigerians.”
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Kalu delivered a detailed critique of Nigeria’s persistent challenges in intra-party democracy, stressing that weaknesses within political parties undermine the overall integrity and credibility of the nation’s elections as preparations for the 2027 general elections intensify.
He highlighted the failure of parties to conduct transparent and fair primaries, arguing that arbitrary candidate substitutions distort public confidence in electoral outcomes. “We need to eschew those practices that drive us to organize primaries within a political party from which a candidate emerges having satisfied the conditions stipulated by the party, only for a sharp turnaround which produces another candidate for the election,” he said. Kalu described such substitutions as “patently untrue and certainly unverifiable,” citing judicial rulings that condemn these practices as detrimental to democracy.
Quoting Justice Oguntade from a landmark Supreme Court case, Kalu emphasised that political parties must strictly adhere to their constitutions in candidate nominations. “If a political party was not to be bound by the provisions of its Constitution concerning party primaries, why would there be the need to send members of the parties aspiring to be candidates on a wild goose chase upon which they dissipate their resources and waste time?” he asked.
Kalu also traced Nigeria’s electoral journey from colonial times, noting how legal precedents and the principle of “substantial compliance” have shaped election dispute resolution. He warned, however, that judicial leniency can sometimes erode electoral justice. He further stressed the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the custodian of Nigeria’s electoral legitimacy, urging it to operate with independence and integrity.
While acknowledging innovations such as biometric verification since 2011, Kalu insisted that technological tools alone cannot restore trust without institutional transparency and judicial vigilance. “Electoral credibility requires that citizens perceive outcomes as fair, transparent, and consistent with democratic norms,” he said.
He concluded with a caution to political parties and the judiciary alike: “The law must not only prescribe electoral procedures but must animate them with integrity, transparency, and justice.”
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