WELCOME TO KTNBIO

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, civil society organisations, CSOs, have advocated for the general election to be held on a single day in order to curb wastages.

This call was made by stakeholders and CSOs on Friday in Abuja at a policy dialogue on single day election in Nigeria organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development.

Speaking, a political scientist and lecturer at the Nile University, Abuja, Dr. Iroro Izu, said taking into account how much the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, spends to conduct one general election, it is safe to say that it has become a fool’s paradise to continue in the present pattern of staggered elections.

Izu noted that countries like the United States, Brazil and India, among others, have long embraced the practice of conducting their elections on a single day.

He said, “This initiative will save the government’s funds, saves the economy of unnecessary losses, stop subtle disenfranchisement via the bandwagon effect.

“It also shows national seriousness, curb waste of time, energy, and manpower, arrest electoral fraud and prevent undue heating up of the polity.”

In his submission, pioneer Executive Director of Centre LSD, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, said majority of speakers at the dialogue agreed that elections should be held in Nigeria on a single day.

Igbuzor said: “So for us, this is a start of a process. We will appeal to the resource person to convert the presentation into a policy brief which we will use to engage INEC, political parties, politicians and stakeholders to further explore the possibility of a single day election in Nigeria.”

However, INEC Director of Operations, Adigun Hakeem, said the Commission cannot take a position on the issue until the National Assembly gives consent.

Hakeem said: “INEC as a governing body, we cannot take a position on these issues for now.

“INEC’s primary assignment is to conduct free, fair and credible elections. All activities and guidelines are being spelt out by the National Assembly. So we don’t take a position.”