As the National Assembly prepares to vote on major amendments to the 1999 Constitution, youth organisations under the Youth Political Participation (YPP) Electoral Reform Consortium have urged the National Assembly to adopt a transparent digital voting system that publicly displays how each individual lawmaker votes on the proposed reforms.
Although the National Assembly has conducted open voting in previous legislative sessions, the groups argued that the process remains opaque because Nigerians cannot see the specific voting choices of their representatives or access detailed voting records after the session.
The demand, led by Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI), the National and North Central partner of the consortium, comes amid growing pressure on the National Assembly to publicly show how each lawmaker votes on key constitutional and electoral reforms now before them.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on the National Day of Action on Youth-Led Electoral Reforms, the organisations urged lawmakers to abandon the long-criticised voice vote system and embrace a digital voting procedure where the public can see real-time results and individual voting patterns.
Speaking, Head, Research and Strategy of KDI, Oluwafemi Adebayo, noted that although digital voting has been used in past deliberations, the legislature often withholds detailed data of how individual lawmakers voted, a practice that fuels public suspicion.
He warned that lawmakers risk repeating the backlash that greeted the last Assembly’s rejection of gender-related constitutional amendments, where civil society groups, women-led organisations and the wider public criticised the opaque voting process.
“We are calling on the National Assembly, in the spirit of transparency and accountability, to avoid voice voting and adopt a digital system where every vote is displayed as it is cast.
“Even if it comes to calling each legislator one after the other so Nigerians can see their vote go up or down, it should be done. The country deserves to know where their representatives stand,” he said.
Programme Manager, Gender, KDI, Mercy Abiem, called for a transparent and merit-based process for appointing INEC leadership; mandatory conclusion of all pre- and post-election cases within defined timeline; and the creation of an Electoral Offences Commission.
She said the reforms are essential to restoring trust in elections, reducing political tension, and ensuring credible outcomes.
The organisation urged lawmakers to demonstrate commitment to Nigeria’s democratic development by voting in favour of the youth-backed proposals.
The consortium added: “These reforms respond directly to long-standing public concerns and reflect demands consistently voiced by young Nigerians who experience the consequences of political manipulation, delayed justice, and weak institutional safeguards.
“The reforms will strengthen transparency, reduce tension around elections, and improve the credibility of its outcomes across all levels of government. They also offer clear benefits to lawmakers. A more trusted electoral system reduces post-election disputes, protects legitimate mandates, and lowers the political and financial cost of prolonged litigation.
“Legislators who support these reforms position themselves as champions of democratic accountability, a legacy that strengthens their standing with constituents and reinforces public confidence in their leadership over time.
“KDI, as the National and North Central partner of the YPP Electoral Reform Consortium, calls on members of the National Assembly to demonstrate commitment to Nigeria’s democratic development by voting in favour of these youth-driven priorities. These decisions affect the stability of communities, the confidence of citizens, and the continuity of democratic governance.”
