Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed to the National Assembly for an expeditious consideration of the electoral reform proposal as part of the ongoing constitution review ahead of the 2027 elections.

It added that an early passage of the law is critical to planning for the elections. 

The commission noted that uncertainty over the legal framework for the election could unsettle its work as the election draws nearer.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the appeal on Thursday in Abuja at a meeting with the European Union (EU) Election Observation Follow-up Mission to Nigeria. 

He said this was the third time that the present commission was receiving such a mission, adding that in 2017, the commission received Mr. Santiago Fisas who led the EU Election Observation (EU EOM) to Nigeria’s 2015 general election. 

Yakubu also recalled that in 2022, the commission hosted Maria Arena, who led the EU mission in 2019, saying the electoral body was glad to receive Mr. Barry Andrews Thursday, who led Mission to the 2023 general election.

The INEC chairman recalled that in 2019, the EU EOM made 30 recommendations out of which 11 were specifically addressed to INEC. 

He explained that three of them were identified as priority recommendations, while  right were categorised as general. 

Yakubu said by comparison, the EU EOM 2023 report made 23 recommendations out of which eight (34.8 per cent) require action by INEC of which only one recommendation was listed as priority. 

He noted that the remaining 15 (65.2 per cent) recommendations, of which five were categorised as priority, require action by other entities in the executive, legislature and the judiciary as well as political parties and multiple stakeholders such as civil society organisations, the media and professional bodies.

Yakubu stressed that the commission has carefully considered all the eight recommendations specifically addressed to INEC in its report. 

According to him, action has been taken on aspects of the recommendations that only require administrative action to implement. 

The chairman explained that action is being taken on cross-cutting recommendations that require collective action between INEC and other bodies and stakeholders while waiting for the conclusion of the ongoing legal review by the National Assembly on the recommendations that require legislative intervention. 

Yakubu stated: “As you are aware, election is a process governed by law. Many of your recommendations require the review of our electoral laws. 

“For this reason, the commission had interfaced with our National Assembly, including a retreat with the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters (Senate and House of Representatives). 

“We appeal to the National Assembly for an expeditious consideration of the electoral reform proposal. 

“An early passage of law is critical to our planning for the elections. Uncertainty over the legal framework for the election can unsettle the work of the commission as election draws nearer.”

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