Strip president the power to appoint INEC chairman, commissioners – Jega

A former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, has called for an amendment to the Electoral Act, 2022.

He said the Act should be amended to divest the president of power to appoint the chairman and national commissioners of INEC to free the commission from partisanship.

Jega, who said this at a two-day retreat organised for senators by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, added that although the country’s electoral law could be said to be the best in Nigeria’s history, it is not perfect; and there was the need for further amendments to remove ambiguities, clarify and strengthen some of its sections.

The amendments, he said, should make the electronic transmission of results mandatory from the next general elections in 2027.

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He said the law should be reviewed to ensure that all cases arising from the conduct of elections were resolved and judgements made before the date of swearing in.

While many stakeholders expressed concern that section 64 of the Electoral Act, which states the process of transmission of election results, is susceptible to manipulation and misinterpretation, Jega said the section should be clarified by making election transmission of election results compulsory, including uploading polling unit level results and result sheets used at different levels of result collation.

“INEC would have enough time to prepare for this if the act is amended early enough in the ensuing electoral cycle,” he said.

He also called for the introduction of either early voting for eligible voters on election duty, such as INEC staff, observers and their drivers, security personnel, and journalists or special arrangement to enable them vote on election day, especially for presidential elections.

The former INEC boss also advocated diaspora voting, at least for presidential elections, to enable citizens vote, especially those on essential service abroad. He added that there was the need to enhance inclusion of women, if necessary, by up to 35 per cent of elective positions in parliament and political parties’ candidate lists.

On cross-carpeting by elected officials, Jega said they should be proscribed, not only for members of the National Assembly but also for elected executives, governors and chairmen of local government areas while INEC should be empowered to prepare for elections to fill the vacancy once it has an evidence of the act of cross-carpeting.