ABSTRACT:

The 2007 general election which was Nigeria's third since the restoration of civil politics in 1999 was widely believed to be a massively rigged and brazenly manipulated election which could not in any sense be regarded as a true reflection of the preference of Nigeria's voting public. This popular view was demonstrated in the reports of both local and international monitors that observed the election. It is further reinforced by the postelection verdicts of many election tribunals. The non-credible character of the 2007 election and the consequent disconnection between elected officials and the people represents the root of the legitimacy crisis rocking the current republic. To many observers, the irregularities that marred the 2007 polls were possible because of the inherent inadequacies/shortcomings of the electoral regime under which the election was prosecuted. The 2006 Electoral Act sets out to address some of the inadequacies of the 2002 electoral law. This paper argues that as ambitious as the 2006 Act may seem, it is far from a document that can engender popular democracy through credible election. For this to be achieved requires, among others, a review of the 2006 Electoral Act and introduction of some pro-active reforms in to the Act.