Mikeni, a former Resident Electoral Commissioner with the Independent National Electoral Commission, has urged President Bola Tinubu to withhold his signature on the recently passed Electoral Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill 2026, warning that it could trigger disorder and weaken Nigeria’s democratic framework.
Speaking on Wednesday during an interview with Arise Television, Igini highlighted concerns over Clause 60 of the bill, which addresses the electronic transmission of election results, calling the provisions “a recipe for chaos.”
“It is my respectful counsel to Mr President: history will remember your choice. You were a senior figure during the uncertain days of Nigeria’s democratic journey,” Igini said, referencing the 2015 elections.
He recalled the struggle to ensure elections reflected the will of the people rather than federal influence. “Back then, when the PDP held power, many expected federal might to dominate outcomes. But some of us insisted that it must be the might of the people through their votes. You have a chance to be a man of history—take what is before you and reconsider before signing.”
The Senate passed the bill on Tuesday after heated debates. Opposition voices, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, challenged Clause 60(3), arguing that manual forms should not replace electronic transmission if it fails. Ultimately, 55 senators voted in favour of the provision, while 15 opposed it.
Igini also expressed scepticism about the judiciary’s role in safeguarding electoral integrity. “The courts are our last line of defence in protecting democracy and upholding the rule of law. Yet history shows they have often fallen short. Nigerians now view my constituency as a field of systemic failures because judicial interventions have not been effective,” he said.
He criticised the Senate for diluting Clause 60, which originally required real-time electronic transmission of polling unit results. “Consider what has unfolded. Today, no primary can proceed effectively because the Supreme Court struck down party directives issued under Section 29 of the Act,” Igini noted.
Earlier, in a statement, he had warned that legislators could jeopardise their re-election chances if real-time electronic transmission is not guaranteed. For Igini, protecting voter rights and enforcing due process remain central to a thriving democracy: “The way forward is for the judiciary to act decisively in defence of due process. What we are witnessing now falls far short of expectations.”
