Ex-Governors Warn Of Threats To Nigeria’s Democracy Over Electoral Fraud, Voter Apathy

Two former governors, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, have expressed deep concern over Nigeria’s declining electoral credibility, warning that persistent vote manipulation and voter apathy pose grave dangers to the nation’s democracy.

The duo made the remarks on Monday at the fifth anniversary lecture of First Daily Newspaper, held in Abuja, with the theme: “2027: How Can We Make Our Votes Count?”

In his keynote address as chairman of the event, Senator Dickson described electoral fraud as a direct assault on the people’s sovereignty, likening it to a “civilian coup.”

“We have a long way to go in protecting the sovereignty that the constitution says belongs to the people. Rigging of elections is the worst coup you can plan,” Dickson said.

Representing Bayelsa West in the Senate, Dickson lamented the collusion between politicians, security operatives, and electoral officials to falsify election results, saying such acts amount to the “theft of citizens’ rights.”

“When politicians and electoral umpires fabricate results that have no bearing on the votes cast, it’s a coup against democracy,” he added.

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The former governor, who recalled experiencing election manipulation while in office, called on the National Assembly to strengthen electoral laws to ensure the sanctity of the ballot and protect the people’s will.

On his part, Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation and ex-Governor of Rivers State, criticised Nigeria’s political class, declaring that no sitting government is capable of implementing true electoral reform.

“The problem with elections in Nigeria is that no incumbent government can achieve electoral reform, none. We tried it and failed,” Amaechi said.

He accused politicians of frustrating reform efforts for selfish reasons and blamed opposition parties for lacking vision and unity.

“The opposition is part of the problem. They are not discussing how to save Nigeria. Nobody is asking how to change things,” he stated.

Amaechi further warned that voter apathy remains a major enabler of electoral malpractice, urging citizens to take responsibility for defending democracy.

“The first solution to electoral reform is not government — it’s the people. The more you say results are already written, the more people stay home. That apathy will make the incumbent stay in power,” he said.

Delivering the keynote lecture, Dr. Sam Amadi, Director of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought, decried the growing link between political power and election management, warning that systemic corruption was undermining democratic governance.

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“Our elections are rigged in one form or another. Everyone connected to managing elections is linked to the president,” Amadi said, lamenting the erosion of neutrality in the appointment of electoral officials.

Quoting economist Paul Collier, Amadi noted: “When elections are criminalised, only criminals can win,” adding that Nigeria’s elections have become “a battlefield driven by greed and the high cost of political ambition.”

He called for institutional reform, transparency within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and civic mobilisation to restore public trust.

Earlier, Daniel Markson, Publisher of First Daily Newspaper, said Nigeria’s leadership crisis stems from decades of flawed elections.

“There is a leadership issue in this country. Let’s tell ourselves the truth: we have failed. I am 55 years old, and I can’t remember a time Nigeria truly worked for me,” Markson said.

He announced that the newspaper would launch a nationwide voter sensitisation campaign in 2026 to boost citizens’ participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999, the country has struggled with election irregularities ranging from vote-buying and intimidation to ballot stuffing and collusion by electoral officials. Despite innovations such as the Smart Card Reader (2015) and the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) introduced in 2023, concerns persist over INEC’s transparency and independence.

The lecture drew political leaders, diplomats, academics, and media executives, who collectively called for urgent and genuine reforms to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy and restore citizens’ confidence in the electoral process.