By Peace Udugba
Human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has criticised Nigeria’s current electoral framework, describing it as structurally flawed, burdensome and deliberately designed to suppress voter participation rather than promote credible elections.
Sowore made the remarks on Thursday during an interview on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese-Ijebu, Ogun State. He argued that the existing electoral system has consistently failed to reflect the true will of Nigerians in successive elections.
According to him, the process is overly bureaucratic and discourages participation, particularly among rural dwellers and young people who face logistical and financial barriers to voting.
He said many eligible voters are unable to collect their Permanent Voter Cards due to the stress involved, noting that the requirement to travel long distances to vote further discourages participation.
Sowore said, “A lot of people who register to vote don’t go back to collect their voter’s card because the process is too stressful. You may have to travel from Lagos to your village, risking road accidents, kidnapping or terrorist attacks. Most people will not go and vote.
So it is a systematic way of disenfranchising the majority.”
He described the current system as a tool of exclusion rather than democratic expression, insisting that reforms must go beyond minor adjustments to address what he called systemic disenfranchisement.
The AAC candidate maintained that Nigeria has continued to operate outdated voting structures despite global technological advancements, stressing that the country is long overdue for electronic voting.
“We should be voting electronically by now. This is 2026. There is no reason Nigerians should have to travel across the country just to vote,” he said.
He further argued that the present voting process places unnecessary strain on citizens, increases exposure to insecurity and ultimately reduces voter turnout.
Sowore also criticised the Electoral Act, describing it as one of the most resisted in recent history and alleging that it was not designed to deliver free and fair elections.
According to him, provisions that previously enhanced transparency, such as electronic transmission of results, have been weakened, raising concerns about the credibility of the process.
He said, “Whatever progress had been made in ensuring transparent elections has been destroyed. The fact that transmitting results electronically is no longer compulsory shows they were not ready for genuine reform.”
On voter apathy, Sowore argued that low turnout is not accidental but a direct consequence of a system that discourages participation, especially among young people.
He noted that simplifying the process through technology would significantly improve turnout and reduce opportunities for manipulation.
Beyond electoral reforms, Sowore called for a broader restructuring of Nigeria’s political environment, insisting that meaningful change cannot occur within the existing elite-driven system.
He criticised current political coalitions, describing them as alliances of recycled leaders lacking ideological direction and driven by personal political survival rather than national interest.
Instead, he advocated what he termed a “coalition of the oppressed,” built on grassroots mobilisation, accountability and active civic participation.
Sowore maintained that genuine reform cannot come from individuals who have benefited from the current system, insisting that electoral credibility, voter inclusion and political restructuring must be pursued simultaneously.
He added that until Nigeria addresses the structural flaws in its electoral system, elections will continue to fall short of reflecting the true will of the people.
