The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has called on the National Assembly to urgently review electoral reforms, pushing for the mandatory real-time transmission of election results. The bishops say this measure is crucial to restoring citizens’ confidence in Nigeria’s democracy.
The Archbishop of Owerri and outgoing CBCN President, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, made the appeal at the opening session of the 2026 First Plenary Meeting at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday. The session focused on the theme, “The Common Good and Leadership in Nigeria.”
Expressing concern over declining voter participation, Mr. Ugorji highlighted that turnout fell from 69% in 2003 to a record low of 23% in 2023.
“This decline reflects citizens’ waning trust in the electoral process and raises questions about the legitimacy of elected officials in a democracy where the mandate comes from an ever-decreasing minority,” he said.
To reverse this trend, he urged federal lawmakers to amend the Electoral Act to mandate the transmission of results from the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) at polling units directly to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal. According to him, this would prevent any human interference with voters’ choices.
He also criticized the National Assembly for what he called “inconsistent positions” on technology and transparency. While the 2025 Tax Act mandated digital filing and record-keeping, similar measures for election transparency appeared to be watered down, he said.
“The honourable members of the NASS should not be perceived as talking out of both sides of the mouth. The world is watching, and above all, God is also watching,” Mr. Ugorji added.
Beyond electoral reforms, the CBCN President raised concerns about insecurity, citing recent attacks in Kwara State that claimed over 200 lives, and warned about economic losses from illegal mining, estimated at nine billion dollars annually.
Dr. Mike Omeri, former Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and chairman of the occasion, urged leaders to practice servant leadership to narrow the gap between rich and poor. Similarly, Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, expressed optimism that the four-day plenary would generate solutions for justice, peace, and good governance under one God.
The session also marked the announcement by Mr. Ugorji that he would step down as CBCN President at the conclusion of the plenary, thanking his colleagues for their support during his tenure as “chief servant.”
The event drew high-ranking government officials, including representatives of President Bola Tinubu and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, as well as heads of various Christian denominations.
(NAN)
