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The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Sadiq Gombe, has urged political parties to commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the police when they perform well.
Gombe made the call on Thursday during News Central’s National Chairmen Dialogue, themed: The 2027 Question: What will it take to get elections right?”
He said political parties have every right to criticise INEC and security agencies when they make mistakes.
However, Gombe urged parties to also recognise and commend the institutions when they take the right steps.
“I want to share the concern of my colleagues on INEC and the police. But nonetheless, I also want to acknowledge us as political parties to know that yes, when INEC or the police are here, we have every right to complain and do whatever,” he said.
He added, “When they move a little step forward to do what is right, I think it’s very, very important.”
Gombe specifically called for INEC and security agencies to be encouraged to improve their performance despite the challenges surrounding elections.
“Despite all odds, both the INEC and the security agencies need to be commended,” he said.
“No matter what, they need to be commended and encouraged to do more.”
The SDP chairman said public officials working in electoral and security institutions should remember that they are also Nigerian citizens and are affected by the country’s future.
“The onus is that they are also Nigerian citizens. Whatever will be felt as a nation will also affect them, either in service or in retirement,” he said.
The national chairman also urged political parties to recognise their own responsibility in strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process, noting that parties are institutions with internal challenges.
He said political parties must work with electoral and security institutions rather than focus only on criticism.
“There are a lot of things that I think, rather than just criticising, at times we need to also encourage those institutions,” Gombe said.
He stressed that all stakeholders must take responsibility for ensuring that the 2027 general election is credible.
“So, I think unless all of us put our hands on deck and do the needful to rescue our country, we are in a rescue mission,” he said.
Gombe warned that failure to get the 2027 election right could have serious consequences for Nigeria.
“If we are not able to get the 2027 general election right in this country, God forbid, I don’t know where we’re headed from,” he said.
He therefore called on political party leaders and citizens to play their part in ensuring a successful electoral process.
“So, we have to be responsible, both as political party leaders and the citizens,” Gombe said.
Sadiq Gombe, National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, says that while parties have a right to complain when INEC or the police err, they should also commend them when they do right. He added that INEC and security agencies deserve commendation and encouragement to… pic.twitter.com/1c419UMkUI
— News Central TV (@NewsCentralTV) September 10, 2026
