At the First Daily 5th Anniversary forum held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, highlighted the crucial role of informed citizens in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy under the theme “How Can Our Vote Count?”
Itodo warned that while cynicism is a recurring challenge in politics, an even greater threat is uninformed voters making critical choices in 2027.
He posed a direct question to Nigerians: are they prepared to invest the effort required to ensure their votes truly count?
He stressed that achieving this demands massive political mobilisation and active citizen oversight.
Pointing to structural weaknesses in the electoral process, Itodo highlighted vulnerabilities in the results management system, especially during ward-level collation.
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He noted, “Forms EC8-A at polling units and EC8-B at the ward level are critical, yet poorly maintained infrastructure sometimes leads officials to skip ward collation and proceed directly to local government centers, creating gaps for manipulation.”
On electronic transmission of results, Itodo emphasised that machines should supplement, not replace, manual processes.
“Machines can fail, so a hybrid system combining manual and electronic verification provides the necessary checks and balances,” he said.
He concluded by stressing that strong electoral laws alone are insufficient.
“Voter education, citizen oversight, and active participation are essential to ensure credible elections in 2027,” Itodo said, underscoring the need for Nigerians to remain vigilant and engaged.