Don’t use partisan academics as returning officers in 2027 – ADC warns INEC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to appoint academics who have openly taken partisan political positions as Returning and Collation Officers for the 2027 general elections.

The party made the call in a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi.

The ADC said its demand followed reports that more than 600 senior lecturers from public universities in Northern Nigeria had endorsed President Bola Tinubu for the 2027 presidential election.

While acknowledging that academics have the constitutional right to support any political candidate, the party argued that those who publicly endorse a candidate should not be allowed to oversee election results involving that candidate.

“You cannot campaign for a candidate and then be entrusted with counting the votes and declaring winners in the same election that your candidate is contesting in,” the party said.

The ADC said the situation raised concerns about electoral credibility and conflict of interest because university lecturers and vice-chancellors are often appointed by INEC to collate results and declare election winners.

The party urged INEC to introduce clear guidelines that would disqualify academics and other election officials who have publicly endorsed candidates, participated in partisan political activities or shown obvious political affiliations.

It also asked the electoral commission to publish the names of proposed Returning and Collation Officers well before the elections to give political parties and members of the public enough time to raise any conflict-of-interest concerns.

According to the ADC, the credibility of elections depends not only on the voting process but also on the neutrality of those responsible for administering, collating and declaring the results.

“Nigerians must never be placed in a position where those who have publicly chosen a side are subsequently presented as neutral arbiters of the contest,” the party said.