The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to review the appointment of election officers ahead of the 2027 general elections, citing concerns over the neutrality of politically exposed academics.
The call followed a report that more than 600 senior lecturers from public universities across Northern Nigeria had endorsed President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election, raising concerns over potential conflicts of interest if politically aligned academics are appointed as Returning and Collation Officers.
Speaking on the development on Monday, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the reported endorsements raised fundamental questions about electoral credibility and conflict of interest, given the sensitive role university lecturers and vice chancellors have traditionally played in collating election results and declaring winners.
Abdullahi stressed that while academics, like every other Nigerian, have the constitutional right to support or endorse any political candidate, those who had openly taken partisan positions should not subsequently be entrusted with responsibilities that could influence or determine the outcome of an election involving their preferred candidates.
The ADC noted that the issue was not about denying academics their political rights but ensuring that individuals responsible for handling election results are seen by the public as neutral and impartial.
According to the party “You cannot campaign for a candidate and then be entrusted with counting the votes and declaring winners in the same election that your candidate is contesting in.”
Consequently, the ADC called on INEC to establish and publish clear criteria for the appointment of Returning and Collation Officers, including provisions that would exclude academics and other prospective election officials who had publicly endorsed candidates, participated in partisan political activities or demonstrated obvious political affiliations.
The party also urged INEC to publish the names of proposed Returning and Collation Officers sufficiently ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to the ADC, early publication of the names would give political parties, candidates and members of the public an opportunity to identify potential conflicts of interest and raise legitimate objections before election duties commence.
The party maintained that the credibility of the 2027 elections would depend not only on the conduct of voters and political parties but also on the perceived neutrality of officials responsible for administering, collating and declaring the results.
“The integrity of an election does not begin when the first ballot is cast. It begins with the neutrality of the people entrusted to administer, collate, and declare its outcome,” the party said.
The ADC warned that allowing individuals who had publicly chosen a political side to subsequently serve as neutral arbiters in the same electoral contest could undermine public confidence in the process, regardless of whether they eventually performed their duties impartially.
It also urged INEC to take the necessary steps ahead of the 2027 elections to ensure that the selection of election officers meets clear standards of neutrality, transparency and public confidence.