A national dialogue on electoral reform has asked the Federal Government to recognise the report of the Mohammed Uwais Electoral Reform Committee as the will of the people and to accept the recommendations.

The National Dialogue on Electoral Reform which was supported jointly by International Foundation for Electoral System (IFES), International Republican Institute (IRI) and National Democratic Institute (NDI) attracted top politicians, including the presidential candidate of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in 2003 and 2007, General Mohammed Buhari (rtd); former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, former House of Representatives speaker Bello Masari, and the National Chairman of Action Congress, Chief Bisi Akande.

"The attempt to retain the same structures and processes that necessitated the current effort at electoral reform and the rising anxiety about future elections is unhealthy and will overheat the polity. "In any conflict between the expressed will of the people and the wishes of the Executive or elected representatives, the will of the people should be allowed to prevail. The Federal Government should give in to the will of Nigerians as expressed through the ERC recommendations," the communiqué said.