At a recent public hearing on the new Electoral Act 2025 bill, Trade Union Congress (TUC) President Festus Osifo called for the full adoption of Justice Mohammed Uwais’ recommendations to fix Nigeria’s electoral system. Speaking through TUC official Tolulope Akinyoye, Osifo stressed that credible elections must reflect the true will of the people and backed reforms like shifting INEC appointments from the President to the National Judicial Council, criminalising vote buying, enforcing election dispute timelines, and modernising voting technology. He also urged protection for workers’ political rights, ensuring they can participate without fear of victimisation or job loss.
Osifo further called for political participation support for women and persons with disabilities, fair campaign finance rules, and collaboration between INEC and trade unions for voter registration. The TUC insists that a democracy excluding its working citizens can never be truly legitimate and recommended that election days be recognised as public holidays so all workers can fully participate. The public hearing was organised by the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on INEC, with several Civil Society Organisations and interest groups making presentations on the bill.
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