Constitution
Amendment:
President To Lose
Power To Appoint
INEC Boss
Jacob
Okereke's
picture
Tue, 18/10/2011 - 2:12am
|ADESUWA TSAN Cover
Stories News
The House of
Representatives Committee
on Electoral Matters has
disclosed that efforts were
on to amend the section of
the constitution that vests
the power to appoint the
chairman of the
Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC)
on the president and place
it in the hands of the
National Judicial Counci
(NJC).
During a meeting with a
coalition of civil society
organisations (CSOs) led by
the chairman of the
Transition Monitoring
Group (TMG), Mr Moshood
Erubami, yesterday, the
committee stated that it
would also give way for
independent candidature in
the2015 elections in line
with the recommendations
of the Justice Mohammed
Uwais-led Electoral Review
Committee.
Chairman of the committee
Hon Jerry Manwe said that
the two issues were among
themeasures the National
Assembly would
reconsider in its
commitment to
strengthening the electoral
process.
“Thecommittee will soon
come up with an action
plan on how we can
perfect the electoral
process.
The issue of reconsidering
independent candidature
and appointment of INEC
chairman would be taken
up by my committee at an
expanded meeting with
civil society organisations
and other stakeholders.
We at the National
Assembly are very
committed to
strengthening the electoral
process and giving it the
credibility it deserved.”
The CSOs had earlier asked
the committee to take
more serious steps in
advancing the cause of
credible elections in the
country by effecting
appropriate amendments
to the constitution and the
Electoral Act to legalise
independent candidature
as well as empower the NJC
to appoint the INEC boss.
The CSOs equally asked the
National Assembly to
ensure that INEC was
unbundled so as to make it
more focussed and
effective in the conduct of
elections.
They also demanded the
introduction of electronic
voting to enhance the
transparency of the
electoral process.
UnbundlingINEC, the CSOs
said, would allow the
electoral body to focus on
its core business of election
administration and
management.
“We specifically suggest
transferring
responsibilities of the
following to separate
bodies: political party
registration; electoral
offences adjudication
through the creation of an
electoral offences
commission, a centre for
democratic studies to co-
ordinate voter education.”