In the ongoing quest for a more inclusive and effective electoral system in Nigeria, KDI forged a strategic partnership with the Joint National Assembly Committee on Electoral Matters and UN Women Nigeria to create a much-needed platform for citizen-legislative dialogue. This collaboration culminated in a 2-day South-South Zonal Legislative Interactive Session (ZLIS) with the powerful theme: “Legislation, Women, and Elections in Difficult Terrain: Beating the Odds.”

The South-South ZLIS is a continuation of the series of ZLIS that KDI is partnering with the Joint National Assembly Committee on Electoral Matters to host across the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. The first was the South-West ZLIS, which focused on getting the Electoral Reform recommendations from young people.

The South-South ZLIS was more than just a dialogue—it was a call to action. The session focused on ensuring equal opportunities for women in the electoral process and crafting laws that protect and guide voters, especially those who face challenges due to the South-South region's unique and often difficult terrain. This theme resonated deeply in a region where geography can often dictate access to the ballot, and where women, in particular, face barriers that can seem insurmountable.

But KDI's efforts didn’t stop at organizing the ZLIS. In a show of commitment to grassroots involvement, KDI also partnered with the Whilz Trust Foundation, the South-South partner of the YERP-Naija project, to support over 25 organizations in preparing and submitting their memoranda. These submissions are crucial as they reflect the voices and concerns of the citizens most affected by electoral processes, especially those from marginalized communities and women who face particular challenges during elections.

KDI threw its weight behind several Electoral Reforms recommendations, including:

1. Creation of Special Seats for Women in the National and Sub-National Legislatures: KDI advocates for the establishment of special seats for women in legislatures as a temporary measure to address gender disparities in Nigerian politics. This approach is seen as a practical solution given Nigeria’s First-Past-the-Post (FPTP) electoral system, which often excludes smaller parties and minorities from fair representation. By allocating specific seats for women, KDI believes Nigeria can make significant strides toward gender parity in political representation.
2. Concluding Post-Election Disputes Before Inauguration: KDI believes that all post-election disputes should be resolved before the swearing-in of election winners. This can be achieved by updating Section 285 of the Constitution to ensure that election petitions are fully adjudicated from the Federal High Court to the Supreme Court before any candidate assumes office. The current practice allows candidates with ongoing court cases to be sworn into office, providing them with undue advantages that could influence the outcome of their cases. Ensuring that all disputes are resolved before inauguration would level the playing field and reduce pressure on the judiciary, contributing to a more just and equitable electoral system.
3. Establishing an Electoral Offences Commission: The Electoral Act should be amended to delete Section 146(2) and establish an independent Electoral Offences Commission through an Act of the National Assembly. This commission would be responsible for prosecuting electoral offenders. INEC had repeatedly said it would not be able to do that effectively because of the level of work it is constitutionally mandated to do. Because there hasn’t been effective prosecution of electoral offences, a culture of impunity abounds, where offenders often go unpunished. An Electoral Offences Commission would ensure accountability and deter electoral misconduct, thereby strengthening the integrity of the electoral process and fostering greater public confidence in the system.

Additional recommendations that predominated in the ZLIS include:

• Interpretation of Continuous Voter Registration and Reduced Registration Deadline: Numerous organizations and advocacy groups believe that the term "continuous registration of persons" should be clarified to denote uninterrupted, year-round registration of eligible voters. Furthermore, Section 9(6) of the 2022 Electoral Act should be revised to reduce the registration deadline from 90 days to 60 days prior to elections.
• Additionally, the citizenry desires that the National Assembly modify the Electoral Act of 2022 to mandate the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to electronically transmit election results from polling units and all collation centers to an online platform accessible to the public. This can be accomplished by revising Paragraph 38 of the 2019 INEC Election Guidelines and Section 50(2) of the 2022 Electoral Act.

This initiative underscores KDI's dedication to creating an electoral reform process that is not just top-down but inclusive, allowing for the active participation of all stakeholders, particularly those who have historically been sidelined. By ensuring that the concerns of these groups are brought to the forefront in legislative discussions, KDI is helping to shape an electoral landscape in Nigeria that is fairer, more transparent, and truly representative of all its citizens.

The partnership between KDI, the National Assembly, and UN Women is a beacon of what can be achieved when organizations work together towards a common goal—empowering every citizen to have a voice in the electoral process. As these reforms continue to unfold, the groundwork laid by this collaboration will serve as a testament to the power of inclusive dialogue in driving meaningful change.