The Chartered Institute of Forensics and Certified Fraud Investigators of Nigeria (CIFCFIN) has called for mandatory pre-election forensic vetting of all candidates' academic certificates, birth records, and tax clearances before ballots are printed. This follows widespread allegations of rigging and attempts to compromise the judiciary and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the recently concluded party primaries.
Warning Against State Capture
In a statement issued yesterday by its founder and Governing Council Chairman, Dr. Iliyasu Gashinbaki, CIFCFIN warned that Nigeria is rapidly becoming a failed state. The institute emphasized that the allegations should not be dismissed as conspiracy theories but recognized as symptoms of democratic collapse. "If these conditions persist into 2027, our elections cannot be free or fair," the statement read.
Proposed Forensic Measures
CIFCFIN recommended embedding forensic analysts within INEC's result collation system to detect manipulation in real time and engaging deep-fake detection experts to counter AI-generated disinformation. The institute stressed that "forensic evidence is the only language a captured judiciary cannot easily ignore."
Key Demands
- Mandatory real-time electronic transmission of election results by INEC
- Publicly forensically audited voter register at least 90 days before voting
- Immediate investigation by the National Judicial Council (NJC) of judges issuing conflicting ex parte orders
- A level playing field for all 18 political parties, free from manipulation
The institute warned that without these measures, the 2027 general elections would produce outcomes as poor as the primary elections.
Call for Legal Reforms
CIFCFIN also urged the National Assembly to repeal sections of the Electoral Act 2026 that permit manual result tampering and delay electronic transmission. Additionally, it called on the NJC to fast-track investigations of judges suspected of political capture, with immediate suspension and prosecution for those found guilty of sabotaging electoral timelines.
"Democracy cannot survive in any nation where the umpire and the referee are both compromised," Gashinbaki said.
Public Stress Test for INEC Technology
Gashinbaki further called on Nigerians, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and civil society organizations to demand a forensically-tracked mandatory public stress test of INEC's technology no later than six months before the election. "Let the results be broadcast live. If the system fails in a mock, it will be a disaster in reality," he added.
The statement concluded: "The threat to true democracy is imminent, but it is not irreversible. Forensics will not save Nigeria; Nigerians who demand mandatory forensics will."
