John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Archbishop Emeritus of Abuja, has called for electoral reforms ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general election, saying the country must ensure that whoever emerges as president has broad support from voters.
Onaiyekan made the call during an interview from 27:18 on Channels TV on Friday, September 25, 2026, where he discussed proposed changes to Nigeria’s electoral system and the need for elections to more accurately reflect the wishes of the electorate.
Speaking on how a presidential winner should be determined, Onaiyekan said, “We will ensure that whoever becomes our president has a credible margin of endorsement from the people.”
He proposed that a presidential candidate should obtain at least 50 percent of all votes cast to be declared the winner.
According to him, if no candidate reaches the 50 percent threshold, the election should proceed to a second round involving the two candidates who recorded the highest number of votes.
Onaiyekan said the proposed arrangement would help establish the level of support enjoyed by the eventual winner and provide the president with a broader mandate from the electorate.
Beyond the presidential election, the Archbishop Emeritus also expressed concerns about several aspects of Nigeria’s electoral process.
These include the influence of incumbency, the independence of electoral institutions, the involvement of security agencies and the way election-related disputes are handled.
He stressed that credible elections require more than changes to electoral laws, noting that political actors and institutions must also be prepared to abide by established rules and respect voters’ choices.
Onaiyekan called for reforms capable of strengthening Nigeria’s democratic system and ensuring that future elections produce leaders with a clear and credible mandate from the people.