“The Votes of the People May Not Count”: Cardinal Renews Electoral Warning
Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has renewed his call for credible elections in Nigeria, warning that public trust in the country’s democratic process could be at risk ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Friday, the senior Catholic cleric expressed concern over what he described as growing fears surrounding the conduct of the next election and the need to protect the sanctity of the ballot.
According to Onaiyekan, the administration of President Bola Tinubu appears determined to secure victory in 2027 by making full use of the advantages of incumbency.
“We’re worried about the fact that President Tinubu administration is bent on winning the 2027 elections by all means.
“Unfortunately, they have a lot of means at their disposal and they’re deploying all those means in a way that eventually, even with a free and fair election the votes of the people may not count.”
The cardinal also questioned whether the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) commands enough public confidence to convince Nigerians that future elections will be conducted independently, despite assurances by the President that the commission remains neutral.
He stressed that strengthening Nigeria’s electoral framework should be treated as a national priority, warning that credible elections are essential to political stability.
“But we gave a warning that if we do not rearrange our election system to make sure that elections are really free, fair, and credible, it can lead to difficulties.
“We also warned that the country doesn’t gain any anything by one-party state in a so-called democracy.”
While acknowledging that every incumbent naturally seeks re-election, Onaiyekan maintained that no candidate should enjoy an unfair advantage because of the office he occupies.
“Of course, we are not expecting Mr President to help the opposition to defeat him.
“But the point we are raising is that even though the president has all the powers of incumbency, he is in the election. He is a candidate like any other person.”
The former Archbishop urged political leaders, electoral authorities and other stakeholders to ensure that future elections reflect the genuine will of the people, insisting that democracy can only endure when citizens have confidence that their votes truly matter.
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