Nigerian Bishops Urge Electoral Reform
Analysis based on 7 articles · First reported Feb 22, 2026 · Last updated Feb 23, 2026
The event highlights significant governance and security challenges in Nigeria, which could deter foreign investment and impact economic stability. Calls for electoral reform aim to improve democratic legitimacy, potentially fostering a more stable political environment in the long term.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has urged the Nigeria===National Assembly (Nigeria) to urgently review electoral reforms, specifically advocating for the mandatory real-time transmission of election results from the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) to the Nigeria===Independent National Electoral Commission Result Viewing (IReV) portal. This call, led by outgoing CBCN President Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, aims to restore public trust in Nigeria's democracy, which has seen voter turnout plummet from 69% in 2003 to 23% in 2023. The CBCN criticized the Nigeria===National Assembly (Nigeria) for perceived inconsistency, noting its passage of the 2025 Tax Act mandating digital filing while appearing to 'water down' digital transparency in elections. Beyond electoral matters, the conference expressed deep concern over rising insecurity, citing 'senseless massacres' and economic sabotage from illegal mining, which reportedly costs Nigeria $9 billion annually. High-ranking government officials, including representatives of President Bola Tinubu and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, attended the meeting, where Senator George Akume reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to collaboration.
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