Abuja: The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has urged the National Assembly to urgently reconsider its position on electoral reforms, specifically advocating for the mandatory real-time transmission of election results. The bishops emphasized the importance of restoring citizens’ waning trust in the nation’s democratic processes.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji, the Archbishop of Owerri and outgoing President of the CBCN, made this appeal during the opening session of the 2026 First Plenary Meeting held at the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria in Abuja. Speaking on the theme, ‘The Common Good and Leadership in Nigeria,’ Ugorji highlighted concerns over a significant drop in voter turnout, which has decreased from 69 percent in 2003 to just 23 percent in 2023.
He remarked that such a decline undermines citizens’ confidence in the electoral system and questions the legitimacy of elected officials, who are increasingly being chosen by a shrinking minority. Ugorji called on federal lawmakers to ensure that the Electoral Act mandates the transmission of results from the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) directly to the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal to prevent any human interference with voters’ choices.
Ugorji also criticized the National Assembly for what he described as inconsistent approaches to technology and transparency. He noted that while the legislature endorsed the 2025 Tax Act requiring digital filing and record-keeping, it appeared to weaken digital transparency measures in elections. He urged the lawmakers to maintain consistency, warning them that their actions are being scrutinized by both the public and a higher power.
Beyond electoral issues, the CBCN President addressed the ongoing insecurity and violence in the country, citing the recent massacre of over 200 people in Kwara State. He also condemned the economic losses due to illegal mining, which reportedly costs Nigeria around nine billion dollars annually.
Dr. Mike Omeri, the Chairman of the occasion and former Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), emphasized the need for leaders to adopt ‘servant leadership’ to reduce the disparity between the affluent and the impoverished. Similarly, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, the Emeritus Archbishop of Abuja, expressed hope that the four-day meeting would lead to solutions ensuring Nigeria is governed justly and peacefully.
The session concluded with Archbishop Ugorji announcing his decision to step down as the President of the CBCN at the end of the plenary. He expressed gratitude to his colleagues for their support during his tenure as ‘chief servant.’