Jega recommends stripping of president’s power to appoint INEC chairman

The former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, on Saturday recommended measures to free the commission from partisanship.

Jega, who spoke at a two-day retreat organised for senators by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, said the president should be stripped the power to appoint the INEC chairman and commissioners in order to give the commission the room to operate independently.

He also demanded amendments to the Electoral Act, 2022, among other measures to improve the country’s electoral process.

The former INEC chief urged the commission to make electronic transmission of results mandatory from the 2027 general elections.

He equally called for the introduction of early voting for eligible voters on election duty such as INEC staff, observers and their drivers, security personnel, and journalists.

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

“There is a need to place stringent conditions for candidate withdrawal and replacement to prevent abuse. Empower INEC to also screen and if necessary disqualify candidates whose credentials show that they are unqualified or in respect of whom it has evidence of forgery and other forms of criminality.

READ ALSO: Former INEC Chairman, Jega, to lead observer team to Zimbabwe elections

“There is a need for the legislation to allow even candidates outside the political parties, as well as tax-paying citizens to file suits against candidates who provide false information to INEC regarding their candidature.

“Although Sections 132(8) & (9) have given timelines within which the Tribunals and courts of appellate jurisdiction should issue verdicts, there is need, particularly in respect of elected executive positions, to ensure that all cases are resolved and judgements made before the date of swearing-in.

“Review the process of appointments into INEC, specifically to divest/minimize the involvement of the President in the appointment of Chairman and National Commissioners of INEC, in order to free the commission from the damaging negative perception of ‘he who pays the piper dictates the tune.’

“The Justice Uwais Committee recommended that the responsibility for advertising, screening, shortlisting, and submission to the Council of State for recommendation to the Senate for confirmation hearings, for this category of officers, should be entrusted to the National Judicial Council (NJC).

“On second thought, and for obvious reasons, I will recommend a joint committee of the National Assembly be given this responsibility with criteria for transparency, non-partisanship, and stakeholder engagement for the process.”

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