Nigeria doesn’t need foreign influence for credible polls — Ubani, SAN

By Henry Ojelu

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Monday Ubani, has insisted that Nigeria has the institutional capacity to conduct credible elections without external interference, stressing that what is required is the political will to do the right thing and a strengthened legal framework.

Ubani, who spoke during an interactive session with journalists in Lagos, expressed confidence that the ongoing amendment of the Electoral Act would be concluded in good time, ahead of the 2027 general elections. He said the proposed Electoral Bill would be passed by the National Assembly and assented to by President Bola Tinubu before the first week of February.

According to him, the House of Representatives has already passed its version of the bill, while the Senate is expected to conclude work on it immediately after resumption.

“The House of Reps has passed their own version. What Nigerians are waiting for now is the Senate. They were supposed to consider it before they went on break. Once they resume, they will certainly pass it,” Ubani said.

He stressed that early passage of the law is critical, noting that electoral stakeholders must clearly understand the rules guiding the process well ahead of the polls.

“The election is next year. INEC and everyone involved in the electoral process must know the law and comply with it. When the law is not yet in existence, you can’t know what to comply with,” he stated.

Ubani expressed optimism that any differences between the Senate and House versions of the bill would be harmonised quickly, paving the way for presidential assent.

“I’m looking at it that before the first week of February, the law would have been passed and assented to. The President will be eager to assent to it,” he added.

No need for external pressure

The senior lawyer said Nigerians are yearning for transparent and credible elections comparable to those conducted in other African democracies, insisting that Nigeria does not need foreign influence to achieve that goal.

“All we are looking forward to is a very transparent and credible election. Other nations in Africa have moved ahead of us — Ghana, South Africa, even Kenya. We are the giant of Africa; we shouldn’t be compared to countries that clamp down on freedoms during elections,” he said.

Ubani was emphatic that credible elections are a matter of national choice, not international pressure.

“We don’t need Donald Trump or any external influence to do the right thing. If we truly want good governance, it doesn’t take anybody from outside. Let the people cast their votes and let the votes reflect the will of the people,” he said.

Why the Electoral Act must be amended

Explaining the need for further amendments, Ubani said the implementation of the 2022 Electoral Act exposed several gaps, particularly in election litigation.

“After implementing the 2022 Electoral Act, we discovered some flaws. That is why we had to go back to amend it to reflect what we actually intended,” he said.

He criticised the current practice that requires petitioners to call witnesses from numerous polling units even where documentary evidence clearly establishes election results.

“Imagine a situation where you still have to call witnesses from all polling units, whereas the law says if there is documentary evidence showing the result, that result should be used. Why must I call witnesses again when everything is already in black and white?” he queried.

Ubani lamented that many election petitions fail not on merit but on technical grounds.

“Most times you lose election, not because you didn’t win, but because of technicality. They tell you that you dumped documents on them and because of that they won’t consider your case,” he said.

He advocated reforms that would allow documentary evidence to be tendered by a lawyer or a single collation officer, without the need to call witnesses from every polling unit.

“One person can tender everything and that should suffice,” he said.

Technology and result transmission

Ubani identified electronic transmission of results as the most critical reform needed to safeguard elections.

“The most important thing is transmission of results. Once results are transmitted immediately from the polling unit, there will be no room for manipulation at collation centres,” he said.

He added that real-time transmission would also strengthen the judicial process.

“If I go to court, I already have the transmitted result to show what happened at the polling unit. Technology enhances human effort. The world has moved on,” he noted.

Voter education and judiciary

The SAN called for sustained voter education, particularly on procedures such as changing polling units.

“People complain about movement on election day, but they don’t realise that you can change your polling unit online. I have done it myself and it worked,” he said.

He also blamed inadequate information for challenges experienced during the 2023 elections, noting that some judges relied on repealed provisions of the law.

“One of the things that killed the 2022 Electoral Act was lack of information. Even judges were relying on the old Act because they were not carried along,” Ubani said.

He promised to engage the media and judiciary correspondents once the amended Act is passed to explain its key provisions.

On judicial reforms, Ubani commended the adoption of virtual hearings but called for improved infrastructure and clearer legal provisions to address technical challenges.

Other views

On political ambition, Ubani said his future plans are in God’s hands, adding that active participation in politics is necessary to drive meaningful change.

He also advocated greater inclusion of women in governance, proposing reserved legislative seats as a foundation for broader female leadership.

Defending the new tax law, Ubani said it is designed to protect low-income earners while ensuring that the wealthy pay their fair share, adding that transparency in governance would encourage public trust and compliance.

He concluded that with credible elections, legal reforms and accountable leadership, Nigeria can rebuild confidence in its democratic system and reverse economic decline.

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