Ex-Senator submits bill to strip Presidential of power appointing INEC Chairman

Ex-Senator submits bill to strip Presidential of power appointing INEC Chairman

A Nigerian lawyer and former Senator, Ikechukwu Obiorah, has submitted a draft bill to the National Assembly seeking a constitutional amendment to strip the President and Governors of their power to appoint members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs).

The lawyer and author stated this in his treatise on “The Philosophy of Elections and Nigeria’s Fake Democracy”, made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday.

Obiorah’s proposal aimed to vest this authority in a neutral body, a move he believed is crucial for ensuring honest, transparent, free, and fair elections in Nigeria.

Obiorah, who represented Anambra South Senatorial district between 2007 to 2011 in the National Assembly, expressed deep concern over the pervasive rigging and perversion of elections in Nigeria since independence, attributing the country’s mass poverty and underdevelopment to this malaise.

He asserted that over ninety percent of all elections held in Nigeria have been brazenly rigged or perverted, preventing Nigerians from genuinely choosing their leaders and contributing to the nation’s poor development trajectory.
“Since Independence, 90 percent of all elections, Parliamentary, Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship, House of Assembly, Local Government Council elections, have been brazenly stolen or rigged or perverted or altogether thwarted or nullified,” he said.

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Obiorah criticized the current system where the President and Governors appoint electoral bodies, arguing it allows those involved in the appointments to influence outcomes in their favor, likening it to a person being a judge in their own case.

He pointed out that this has led to Soviet-style election results and numerous court cases contesting election outcomes.

“I do, also, propose that the new INEC be composed and constituted by thirteen commissioners, six of whom would be elected by the under-listed six Nigerian labour and professional organizations, and six commissioners nominated by the United Nations and one commissioner – observer nominated by Transparency International, totalling thirteen commissioners,” he proposed.

The new INEC would have the power to elect its chairman, hire and fire staff, and would be responsible for conducting all elections across the three tiers of government, he noted.

Obiorah argued that involving the United Nations and Transparency International in nominating commissioners would not violate Nigeria’s sovereignty but rather be a voluntary request reflecting the country’s commitment to combating corruption and ensuring electoral integrity.

He stressed the importance of making the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) and electronic transmission of results via INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) mandatory, though he noted these systems alone cannot solve election rigging without the electoral body’s neutrality and integrity.

The former Senator believed that his proposal could trigger processes leading Nigeria out of poverty, emphasizing that honest elections are fundamental to genuine democracy and development.

Obiorah’s bill is now before the National Assembly, awaiting consideration and possible action.

Ex-Senator submits bill to strip Presidential of power appointing INEC Chairman