Following the noticeable flaws in the conduct of the 2023 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has listed some recommendations to improve the country’s electoral process. The Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, made the disclosure at a recent two-day Induction Retreat for Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Lagos. However, the INEC boss did not disclose the recommendations but pledged that as soon as the report on it is ready, INEC would go public and engage with Nigerians on the reforms.
Yakubu said the reforms are categorised with the majority requiring implementation by administrative action by INEC, while some are to be implemented by security agencies. Other aspects of the reform require an amendment to the electoral legal frameworks by the National Assembly, while some are to be implemented by political parties and other stakeholders.
The move by INEC is a welcome development. All that Yakubu and his INEC owe Nigerians is a transparent electoral system devoid of poll manipulation and other electoral infractions. Nigerians need an electoral process that reflects the wishes of the people.
The bane of Nigeria’s electoral system has been the opacity of the exercise which manifests in rigging, violence and manipulation of the voting processes. Several election supervising bodies had in the past promised to deliver credible elections to Nigerians but failed to live up to expectations.
The 2023 general election conducted by the present INEC also fell below expectations in some respects. Before the polls, the INEC Chairman, had at a very forum, vowed that the days of election manipulation were over. The introduction of the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV), was particularly hailed as safeguards against election rigging.
However, the reported technical glitches experienced by INEC during the presidential election on February 25, 2023, affected its credibility. Also, the March 18 governorship and state assembly poll was characterized by violence, voter suppression and other infractions. The shoddiness of the entire exercise was demoralizing.
Therefore, the proposed reform by INEC is a welcome development. The voters do not expect anything less from the commission. INEC can take some examples from the United States (US) and even South Africa on how best to improve our electoral system. Having a transparent poll will reduce post-election litigations.
INEC should liaise with the National Assembly, political parties and other relevant stakeholders in carrying out the reforms. The proposals should equally be comprehensive and extended to elections at the state and local government levels.
The commission may consider the proposal by the House of Representatives for a law to make the determination of all election disputes mandatory before inauguration of the winners to their various offices. The proposed legislation is entitled: “A bill for an Act to alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to provide for the determination of all appeals arising from election petitions tribunals prior to the swearing-in of president-elect, vice president-elect, governor-elect, deputy governor-elect, members-elect of the national and state assemblies and for related matters.”
The bill seeks an alteration of Section 285 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) by inserting after subsection (13) (A) a new subsection (i) to provide “that all appeals arising from the presidential, governorship, national and state assemblies’ election petition tribunals shall be determined by the appellate courts prior to the swearing-in of candidates returned as winners by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”
INEC equally needs to examine the electoral contests at the local government levels by the various State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) that do not have any semblance of election, but rather mere endorsement of preferred candidates by the governors. This is why many Nigerians have called for the scrapping of SIECS.
INEC has started well by identifying the need to reform the country’s electoral processes. There is need to ensure and protect the sanctity of Nigeria’s elections and electoral processes. INEC should set the ball rolling by living up to its constitutional responsibility of being an unbiased umpire. On no account should the commission or its staff be compromised by any candidate or political party. Elections conducted by INEC should be free, fair and transparent.
Political parties and the voters should also be carried along in the intended reforms. Let there be adequate enlightenment campaigns for Nigerians to be educated on their rights and obligations in ensuring an improved electoral system. The National Assembly should come up with relevant legislations to give the approved recommendations of the INEC the force of law.