Dele Farotimi: Opposition Coalitions Useless Without Electoral Reforms

Calls for comprehensive electoral reform in Nigeria continue to grow, as citizens and civil society organisations push for a more transparent and accountable democratic process.

Human rights lawyer and civil rights activist, Dele Farotimi, has warned that any attempt by opposition parties to challenge the status quo will be futile unless Nigerians themselves actively demand electoral reforms.

“Every coalition of opposition will work in vain if the people fail to demand electoral reforms. The system is rigged ab initio,” Farotimi stated during an appearance on Channels Television’s State of the Nation programme.

Farotimi expressed deep skepticism about the willingness of the current administration, led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC), to support meaningful reform.

“It would be not only simplistic but exceedingly foolish to expect the APC government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be interested in electoral reform that ensures transparency. This is a government that benefited from an electoral hijack,” he declared.

Drawing on personal experience, Farotimi recounted his involvement in the 2023 elections, where he was tasked with collecting Form EC8A from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State.

“I can say without equivocation that the then INEC commissioner in Lagos State could not produce a single Form EC8A because the entire result in Lagos was a fraud,” he alleged.

Farotimi urged Nigerians to assert their right to demand a credible electoral system, even if it means taking to the streets in peaceful protest.

“Power is not served; you grab it, snatch it, and run with it. But it is the right of citizens to be given the power to vote and choose who governs them,” he said.

He stressed that the demand for electoral reform is not simply a political issue, but a fundamental requirement for a functioning democracy.

“We should be making that demand very clearly,” Farotimi reiterated, calling on citizens, civil society groups, and all stakeholders to take an active role in pressing for change.

As frustration mounts over what many see as a compromised electoral system, Farotimi’s voice adds to a growing chorus demanding reforms that will restore public confidence and protect the sanctity of the vote.