The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have formed a strategic alliance to address persistent challenges undermining electoral integrity in Nigeria, following a high-level advocacy meeting held in Abuja on Friday.
The gathering, which brought together key stakeholders from media and civil society organisations, identified critical issues affecting Nigeria’s electoral system and proposed specific recommendations for various institutions involved in the electoral process.
“Today marks an important step toward ensuring that Nigeria’s democracy truly reflects the will of its people,” said YZ Ya’u, Convener of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, during the meeting. “By joining forces with the media, we’re creating a powerful coalition to advocate for much-needed reforms.”
The groups highlighted numerous concerns affecting electoral credibility, including attacks on journalists, political influence in media ownership, vote buying, result manipulation, and the proliferation of misinformation. They also questioned the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs).
NUJ National President Alhassan Yahaya emphasised the critical role of journalists in maintaining electoral integrity. “The media serves as the watchdog of democracy, but we cannot fulfill this constitutional mandate when our members face intimidation and violence,” Yahaya stated. “According to the Press Attack Tracker, 89 journalists were attacked during the 2023 General Elections, yet perpetrators remain largely unprosecuted.”
The joint communique issued after the meeting outlined specific recommendations for key institutions. For media organisations, the groups stressed the importance of holding government officials accountable as mandated by Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution, conducting investigative reporting on electoral malpractices, and collaborating with civil society to enhance voter education.
Addressing the presidency, the groups urged that upcoming appointments to INEC exclude politically exposed persons. “The credibility of our elections begins with the credibility of those who manage the process,” Ya’u noted. “Impartial leadership at INEC is non-negotiable.”
The National Assembly received several recommendations, including calls to unbundle INEC by moving voter education responsibilities to the National Orientation Agency, expediting the Election Offences Commission Bill, and amending the Electoral Act to mandate the electronic transmission of results.
“The legislative arm must demonstrate commitment to electoral reform through concrete action, not mere rhetoric,” they said. “Particularly critical is the Senate’s role in vetting INEC nominees, which must include consideration of input from civil society and media.”
For INEC itself, the groups demanded greater transparency, calling on the commission to publish information about prosecuted and unprosecuted electoral malpractice cases, provide details of financial allocations and expenditures, and enforce compliance with campaign finance regulations.
Security agencies, particularly the Nigerian Police Force, were urged to provide public updates on their investigations and prosecutions of those who attacked journalists during the 2023 elections. The communique also called for eliminating election militarization and greater collaboration between security agencies and media to prevent journalist harassment.
Political parties were not left out in the recommendations. The groups called for genuine internal party democracy, including maintaining proper membership registers, adhering to campaign finance laws, deploying party agents to all levels of elections, and participating in public debates.
“When political parties function democratically internally, they’re more likely to respect democratic processes externally,” Yahaya observed. “Their commitment to transparency and accountability is essential for our electoral system to function properly.”
The meeting comes amid growing concerns about the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral processes, with the 2023 general elections having faced numerous challenges, including logistical failures, violence, and allegations of result manipulation.
Both organisations committed to sustained engagement on electoral reform, pledging to monitor progress on the recommendations and hold relevant institutions accountable. The coalition intends to establish a joint working group to develop detailed implementation strategies for their proposals.
“This partnership represents a significant opportunity to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic foundations,” said Ya’u. “By combining the reach and influence of the media with the advocacy expertise of civil society, we can create the public pressure needed for meaningful reform.”
The meeting concluded with a call for all stakeholders, including citizens, to play their part in safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy by demanding adherence to democratic principles and actively participating in the electoral process.
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