NGE Demands 50% Presidential Threshold, Faster Election Dispute Resolution
THE Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has called for sweeping constitutional and electoral reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Guild made the demand at the 22nd All Nigeria Editors Conference (ANEC 2026), held in Enugu from 24 to 26 September.
Among its key recommendations, the editors proposed a 50 per cent constitutional threshold for presidential elections.
They also called for a run-off where no presidential candidate secures at least 50 per cent of the votes cast.
In addition, the Guild wants electoral disputes resolved within clearly defined timelines, preferably before declared winners are sworn into office.
The editors said such reforms would help restore public confidence in elections and reduce concerns over prolonged legal battles after polls.
They also demanded changes to the appointment process for the Chairman, National Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Guild further extended the proposal to the appointment of State Electoral Commissioners.
According to the communiqué issued after the conference, the editors identified declining trust, electoral insecurity, voter apathy and administrative weaknesses as major threats to democratic participation.
They also expressed concern over perceptions that judicial decisions sometimes displace outcomes recorded at the ballot box.
However, the Guild affirmed the importance of judicial independence. It instead called for electoral adjudication that is timely, transparent, predictable and impartial.
Beyond electoral disputes, the editors proposed a review of restrictions placed on ordinary voters who seek to challenge election results.
They also advocated constitutional provisions that would permit independent candidacy.
Meanwhile, the Guild warned that technology could create new threats to electoral integrity.
It specifically identified generative artificial intelligence, deepfakes, voice cloning and automated networks as emerging dangers.
Such tools, it noted, can facilitate fabricated election results, cloned voices of public officials, forged documents and manipulated result sheets.
More importantly, the editors warned that widespread synthetic content could weaken public trust by making it difficult for citizens to distinguish genuine information from falsehoods.
Consequently, the Guild urged news organisations to strengthen fact-checking and verification systems.
It also called for digital verification, deepfake detection and forensic tools to become part of newsroom operations.
The conference attracted more than 500 editors, publishers and senior media practitioners from print, broadcast and digital platforms.
Political, traditional, religious, academic, regulatory and development-sector stakeholders also participated.
The conference was chaired by the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, while Cardinal John Onaiyekan delivered the keynote address.
Vice President Kashim Shettima participated virtually as Special Guest of Honour, while Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah served as Chief Host.
With the theme, “The Ballot, the Media and the Task of Keeping Democracy Alive,” the conference examined the challenges facing Nigeria’s electoral democracy.
The Guild also reaffirmed the Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage (Revised 2022), which it jointly endorsed with other major media and journalists’ associations.
The editors said stronger institutions, credible information and greater public confidence remain essential to protecting the value of the ballot and sustaining democratic governance.
