Emmanuel Ezeh, a chieftain of the Labour Party, has called for inclusive electoral reforms to strengthen the nation’s democratic system.

In a statement on Monday in Abakaliki, Mr Ezeh called for urgent reforms in the proposed Electoral Act to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic process.

He said that voter accreditation must be more inclusive and flexible, noting that sole reliance on the permanent voter’s card undermines the electoral participation of eligible Nigerians.

Mr Ezeh explained that the new Electoral Act must provide alternative means of voter verification and identification.

He proposed using internationally recognised national documents, such as the international passport and the National Identification Number, for voting.

According to Mr Ezeh, what matters is confirming the voter’s identity, not restricting them.

”The electoral system must be designed to include, not exclude,” he said.

Mr Ezeh argued that restricting accreditation to the PVC alone was discriminatory and threatened the credibility of elections. He said that Nigerians who may have lost their PVCs, relocated, and were unable to collect their cards due to administrative or personal challenges would be disenfranchised.

Mr Ezeh also stressed that real-time electronic transmission of results was essential for a transparent electoral process and curbing electoral fraud.

He urged lawmakers and electoral stakeholders to take these reforms seriously, describing the proposed changes as critical steps toward safeguarding the country’s democracy.

“There is a need for broader reforms in the new Electoral Act, including clear and enforceable qualifications for candidates, to ensure transparency and prevent manipulation,” Mr Ezeh said.

Mr Ezeh stressed the need for mandatory electronic transmission of results, removal of ward collation centres and direct transmission from polling units to central collation centres.

(NAN)