Professor Pat Utomi of the Movement for Credible Elections warns that Nigerians may “take over their country” if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) restricts voters from using devices that could improve transparency at polling units in the 2027 presidential election.
In interviews, Utomi argues that blocking citizens from bringing tools such as body cameras and options to stream or report live updates amounts to preventing transparency and could be viewed as unlawful. He calls for elections to be “technologised,” saying monitoring and verification should involve wider public oversight rather than tightly controlled access to information. He also contrasts Nigeria’s approach with practices he associates with the UK and the US, where media and external observers play a role in tracking and reporting results.
The outlets differ slightly in emphasis: one report highlights Utomi’s warning in stark terms, while another provides more detail about the specific transparency measures he cites and includes broader context about the upcoming 2027 contest among major political figures.
