The Inter-Occasion Advisory Council (IPAC) has known as for the elimination of the facility to nominate the Chairman of the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) from the workplace of the President, urging as a substitute for the institution of an unbiased committee to deal with such appointments.
IPAC President, Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, made the decision throughout a gathering with the Home of Representatives Committee on Constitutional Overview in Abuja.
He argued that the present system, which provides the President the authority to nominate the INEC Chairman, may undermine public belief within the electoral physique.
“To make sure the integrity of INEC, this energy have to be taken away from the President. There ought to be a committee comprising representatives of political events, civil society teams, the Nigerian Bar Affiliation, and the Nationwide Meeting to pick the INEC Chairman,” Dantalle mentioned.
He added that such a reform would promote equity and transparency in elections, particularly in mild of recurring complaints in regards to the conduct of previous polls.
IPAC’s place aligns with the views beforehand expressed by former Presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, who additionally advocated reforms within the appointment strategy of the INEC management to strengthen electoral credibility.
In response to them, such constitutional reforms would assist restore public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic course of forward of the 2027 normal elections.
Some political events have proposed that solely events with illustration within the Nationwide Meeting ought to be allowed to appoint candidates for the place.
In the meantime, the Nigerian Muslim Youth Affiliation (NMYA) has urged the Nationwide Meeting to help a invoice in search of to take away the facility of the President and state governors to nominate electoral commissioners for INEC and State Unbiased Electoral Commissions (SIECs).
Its President, Engr. Abdulraham Aliyu, mentioned, “Free and honest elections can’t be achieved so long as the President retains the facility to nominate those that will oversee them.” He added that technological improvements akin to BVAS and IReV wouldn’t assure credible elections with out an unbiased electoral physique.
In a associated improvement, the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) additionally expressed help for an unbiased INEC appointment course of however opposed the concept of scrapping state electoral commissions, arguing that doing so would weaken Nigeria’s federal system.
Deputy Speaker of the Home of Representatives and Chairman of the Constitutional Overview Committee, Benjamin Kalu, mentioned the continuing constitutional amendments should strengthen democratic governance and guarantee a degree taking part in subject for political events.
Equally, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, represented by Senator Mohammed Tahir Monguno, acknowledged that credible elections and native authorities autonomy are important to restoring residents’ confidence in authorities.
He added that supporting the creation of state police may additionally assist sort out Nigeria’s worsening safety challenges.
This comes amid experiences confirming that the Chairman of the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has resigned from his place after a decade of overseeing Nigeria’s elections by way of main reforms and digital improvements.
