Nigeria’s registered political parties, under the umbrella of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), have called for the creation of an independent body to handle the appointment of top officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), including its Chairman, National Commissioners, and Secretary.The call was made during a consultative session between political party leaders and the House of Representatives Committee on Constitution Review, held at the Wells Carlton Hotel and Apartments in Abuja.
Speaking on behalf of IPAC, Deputy National Chairman, Dipo Olayoku, representing National Chairman Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, argued that the current process, where the President appoints INEC officials, undermines the commission’s neutrality and erodes public confidence in the electoral system.
“To guarantee INEC’s independence, the appointment powers should be taken out of the hands of the executive,” Olayoku said.
IPAC proposed the establishment of an Independent Appointment Committee (IAC), to include representatives from All registered political parties, Civil society organisations, the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the National Assembly, drawing members from both majority and minority caucuses.
Such a body, the group believes, would ensure transparency, balance, and credibility in the leadership selection process for Nigeria’s electoral body.
IPAC also urged the federal lawmakers to eliminate the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) and hand over the responsibility of conducting local government elections to INEC.
The council accused SIECs of functioning as mere extensions of state governments, often manipulated by governors to consolidate political control at the grassroots level.
“Local elections must be credible. Transferring them to INEC will help restore faith in grassroots democracy and promote true local government autonomy,” the group stated.
In addition to the call for independent appointments and reform of local elections, IPAC also presented the following proposals:
Public Funding for Political Parties:
IPAC advocated for the reintroduction of public financial support for political parties to create a more level playing field and encourage broader participation in the democratic process.
The council, however, emphasised the need for strong accountability mechanisms to prevent abuse.
Electoral Offences Commission:
The council reiterated its support for the establishment of a dedicated body to prosecute electoral offences such as vote buying, violence, ballot box snatching, and result tampering.
IPAC proposed that in cases where lawmakers die or defect, the political party originally holding the seat should nominate a replacement, eliminating the need for costly by-elections.
Dantalle, in his remarks delivered by Olayoku, praised the National Assembly’s Constitution Review Committee for engaging stakeholders across various sectors on pressing reform issues, including electoral system overhaul, local government autonomy, judicial independence, state policing and women’s political representation.
“A revised constitution and Electoral Act, in place before the 2027 general elections, would address longstanding weaknesses in our democracy,” he said.
He concluded by urging lawmakers to give all reform proposals fair consideration, expressing optimism that Nigeria is on the path toward a more accountable and inclusive democracy.
“It is our hope that this review process delivers a people-oriented constitution that reflects the aspirations of all Nigerians,” Dantalle said.
By Dailygazettenig
