Former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has criticized previous administrations for failing to implement significant electoral reforms, stating that no incumbent government has ever been capable of delivering them.
Speaking at a public lecture, Amaechi said that although the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari made attempts to introduce the reforms, the effort ultimately collapsed.
He claimed that fears of foreign interference — including speculations that “Russia would rig the election” — contributed to the hesitation that stalled the process.
According to Amaechi:
“The challenge with elections in Nigeria is that no sitting government can successfully achieve electoral reform. None! Buhari tried and couldn’t. The National Assembly passed the bill and placed it on his desk. He even held the pen, ready to sign.
“If I had been there, I would have told him that everything has a countermeasure. If there is Russia, there is also America.”
Amaechi noted that although attempts to amend the Electoral Act failed in 2019, Buhari became more committed in 2023 as he sought to make electoral reforms a central part of his legacy.
However, he said the reforms were blocked by powerful interests who were determined to protect their influence.
“When the revised document went to the National Assembly, it never returned. By the time they discovered they had excluded individuals like us — former speakers who were automatic delegates — Buhari declined to sign.
“Those around him ensured he didn’t sign the reforms and achieved what they wanted. Now those same people are shouting ‘electoral reform’ today,” Amaechi added.
Drawing from his experience leading Buhari’s presidential campaigns, he emphasized the importance of citizen mobilisation in protecting the integrity of elections.
“We made it difficult for any governor to freely dominate their state. Whenever Buhari visited any state, the governor couldn’t move freely because the sheer turnout and energy of the citizens overwhelmed them,” he said.
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