A broad coalition of civic activists, labour leaders and political figures has urged the National Assembly to enact a law that would automatically cost any elected official their seat if they defect from the party under which they were elected.
The group — operating under the banner of the Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) — said the measure was essential to restoring party discipline and safeguarding the sanctity of the vote, as defections among governors and lawmakers become near-daily events ahead of the 2027 general elections. The ruling All Progressives Congress has emerged as the biggest beneficiary of the defections, drawing in members from opposition parties.
In a petition dated 10 December 2025 and addressed to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the coalition called for sweeping reforms to Nigeria’s electoral framework. The MCE is led by prominent national figures including political economist Pat Utomi, former Nigeria Labour Congress president Ayuba Wabba, human rights lawyer Femi Falana, and former education minister Oby Ezekwesili.
“The coalition calls on the House of Representatives to prioritise a set of critical reforms,” the petition stated, naming measures such as mandating electronic transmission and real-time publication of polling-unit results on IReV, tightening penalties for electoral offences, and ensuring independent, autonomous funding for the electoral commission, INEC.
The group also demanded that all election disputes be resolved before swearing-in ceremonies to prevent what it described as “pre-election judicial interference” that distorts outcomes. Crucially, it called for defections by elected officials to be grounds for immediate loss of mandate and the conduct of fresh elections — a step it argues will protect the integrity of the ballot and end the culture of political opportunism.
Confidence in Nigeria’s elections is now “at an all-time low,” the coalition warned, citing insecurity, vote-buying, voter suppression, chronic logistical failures and inconsistent deployment of electoral technology.
Unless lawmakers act swiftly, it said, the credibility of the 2027 elections will remain in jeopardy.
The petition also pressed for an independent audit of INEC’s technological infrastructure — including BVAS, IReV, data storage and backup systems — before the next general election. Additional proposals include greater inclusion of youths, women and persons with disabilities; diaspora voting; strict internal party democracy; and the timely conclusion of all election petitions.
“The 2027 elections present a defining moment for our democracy,” the group wrote. “We must act now to rebuild public trust, strengthen institutions and protect the legitimacy of our electoral outcomes.”
The coalition said it was willing to support parliament through public hearings and technical submissions, but warned it would mobilise citizens for mass action if lawmakers ignore what it described as the “popular demands of Nigerians.”
Signatories to the petition include Utomi (chairman), Wabba (co-chairman), Falana (legal counsel), Ezekwesili (special adviser), Senator Shehu Sanni and several civic figures, activists and professionals who make up the Interim Steering Council.
