A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), 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 next month.
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.
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.
