“A democratic people will bear the burdens of their government only insofar as they retain the right to participate in it.”
Alexis de Tocqueville
(French political thinker)
Dear {{First name|Active Citizen}},
If you’ve been following the news this week, you might be feeling a bit of "policy whiplash." Between INEC’s sudden change of heart and a federal budget that seems to be preparing for a legal war rather than a transparent election, there is a lot to unpack.
The "P" in PVC stands for Permanent not "Perpetual Revalidation”
On April 3rd, the INEC announced a nationwide voter revalidation exercise, scheduled to begin on April 13, 2026. The plan was to have every Nigerian who registered between 2011 and 2024 show up at INEC centres and "revalidate" their voter details, essentially proving they still exist and still deserve to vote, in a country with over 90 million registered voters.
For many of us, the question was simple: If the card is permanent, why does it need to be revalidated?
The very idea of revalidation is a contradiction. It suggests that your right to vote has an expiration date that only the government can renew. This move by the INEC felt like another hurdle designed to tire out the Nigerian voter.
Well, the pushback was immediate. Citizens like you and me called their move what it was: a potential tool for mass disenfranchisement. Following the fierce wave of public outcry, they officially suspended the exercise.
Yes, the suspension is good news, but the fact that it was announced in the first place, with almost no prior stakeholder engagement, via a "leaked memo" just days before it was supposed to begin, raises questions in our already fragile political climate.
However, it is also a massive confirmation that your pressure worked. When you pushed back, INEC backed down. That is not nothing, that is the #OfficeOfTheCitizen in action, and it should remind you that staying engaged is never a waste of time.
P.S: We are still on the lookout for volunteers in Ekiti and Osun. Click here to join our volunteer team ahead of the states’ upcoming elections. We need active citizens ready to mobilise, educate, and monitor. Share with your friends and family too!
Budgeting for Failure: The ₦135 Billion Legal War Chest
Why is the Federal Government preparing to defend results in court with a 135-billion-naira war chest instead of ensuring that the electoral process is so transparent, so credible, and so seamless that no one needs to go to court?
{{First name|Active Citizen}}, come and see o! While the drama over PVC was unfolding, something else was happening in the fine print of the 2026 Appropriation Bill that deserves your full attention.
The Federal Government has proposed ₦135.22 billion in the 2026 budget specifically for what it calls "Electoral Adjudication and Post-Election Provision" In plain language: money set aside to fight and lose election court cases in 2027. This is different from the ₦873.78 billion earmarked for the 2027 elections originally.
To put that in perspective, during the 2023 general election cycle, an election year marked by some of the most contested legal battles in our history, the cost of election litigation was roughly ₦3.08 billion. The government is now proposing to spend 44 times more on lawyers and court cases than it did in the last cycle.
This is a massive red flag. A budget this large suggests an expectation, perhaps even a calculated intention, of flawed or untrustworthy elections.
A credible electoral system should settle outcomes at the ballot box, not in the courtroom. But in Nigeria, elections are increasingly fought in three stages: primaries, voting day, and the tribunal.
What makes this worse is that this line item was not in the original 2026 budget proposal. It was quietly inserted into the Appropriation Bill. You know, “ just ₦135 billion for post-election provision," hoping nobody will notice.
Well, we noticed. And the good news is that the National Assembly is still deliberating on the bill, which means there is still a window to demand transparency on how these funds will be used.
Don't just watch them, call them out.
Before this budget is passed into law, your representatives in the Senate need to know that you are paying attention. Visit shineyoureye.org right now to find your Senator and House of Reps member. Find their official numbers and call them, demanding transparency and accountability.
WATCH THIS VIDEO BELOW TO SEE HOW TO USE THE WEBSITE TO FIND YOUR REPS
3 Million Naira in - The road to 16 Million
Ahead of the Ekiti and Osun elections, we need your support to:
Produce voter education materials in local languages that reach more communities.
Keep our radio programmes running to inform and mobilise voters.
Strengthen citizen engagement to push back against misinformation.
You can support the mission today by donating through the flyer below or clicking the secure link to give directly.
We’re counting on you.
In service of the #OfficeOfTheCitizen
The EiE Nigeria Team.
If this newsletter resonates with you, please share it with friends, colleagues, and anyone who cares about good governance and citizenship. They can join our mailing list at eieng.co/subscribe.
Enough thinking. Enough ranting. Let's build.