Former Minister of Education, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili, has warned that democracy as a fair competition has been distorted by deep flaws in Nigeria’s electoral system, leading to a sharp decline in public trust in national institutions.
Speaking at the 2025 National Electoral Reforms Summit on Tuesday in Abuja, Ezekwesili said election credibility has been repeatedly undermined by entrenched political interests and poor conduct during past polls.
“Comprehensive reforms are urgently needed. Democracy as competition has been distorted through our electoral system,” she said.
“Reforms that strengthen INEC’s independence and rebuild confidence in the electoral umpire are essential to restoring credibility.” Ezekwesili stressed that reforms must extend beyond electoral administration to the judiciary, whose growing role in resolving election disputes has become “deeply troubling” and threatens democratic consolidation.
“Nigerians are aghast at this culture of courtroom democracy, where elections are increasingly decided in courts rather than at polling stations,” she lamented.
“Litigation delays have created a perception that judicial decisions, not voters, determine electoral outcomes.”
She also expressed concern over contradictory rulings by various courts, noting that even the Supreme Court has faced criticism for inconsistent judgments.
“Such confusion erodes public confidence in both elections and the judiciary,” she said.
“The real problem is not judicial reform in name. Courts have assumed an outsized role in election contests, weakening credibility and forcing parties to seek redress by default.”
Ezekwesili urged stakeholders to pursue reforms that would return power to the people and ensure elections truly reflect the will of Nigerian citizens.
