Dasuki Warns Electoral Act Provision Could Allow Fake Ballots in 2027 Elections

The Deputy Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abdussamad Dasuki, has raised concerns over Section 63(2) of the Electoral Act, warning that the provision could undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections by allowing ballot papers without the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) official marks or security features to be accepted.

Dasuki, who represents Tambuwal and Kebbe Federal Constituency of Sokoto State, expressed the concerns while speaking on the floor of the House of Representatives, where he called for urgent legislative action to address the issue ahead of the forthcoming elections.

He argued that the provision gives presiding officers the opportunity to accept ballot papers that do not bear INEC’s official marks or security features, potentially creating room for the use of counterfeit ballot papers during elections.

“Section 63 subsection 2, Mr. Speaker, gave a polling unit officer or presiding officer the opportunity to accept any paper that is not having the marks or any security feature of INEC,” Dasuki said.

To illustrate his concerns, the lawmaker compared the situation to the acceptance of counterfeit currency in a bank, arguing that the provision could create loopholes in the electoral process.

“It’s just like you saying go to the bank, collect money — if you have fake money inside the bank, for as long as it’s in the bundle, that means it’s accepted,” he stated.

Dasuki disclosed that he and the House Whip had submitted a bill aimed at addressing the concerns, urging lawmakers to consider the proposed legislation before the 2027 elections.

He also called on the House leadership to invite the INEC chairman to brief members on the commission’s preparations for the polls, stressing the need for early scrutiny of the electoral process rather than waiting until shortly before election day.

“We don’t want to wait till on the eve of election before we know what INEC is going to do, and we are the only ones empowered in the constitution to ask INEC how ready they are,” he said.

The lawmaker further expressed concerns about security challenges and the funding of INEC, noting that these issues could affect the commission’s ability to conduct credible elections if not adequately addressed.

He urged the House to prioritise debate on the proposed bill and motion, insisting that the issues required timely attention to safeguard the integrity of the 2027 electoral process.

Dasuki’s intervention comes as preparations for the 2027 general elections continue, with legislative oversight, electoral safeguards, security and INEC’s readiness remaining important issues in efforts to ensure credible polls.