ASHENEWS reports that the former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has called for an amendment to the Electoral Act, 2022 that would disallow the President of the country to appoint chairman of the electoral umpire.
Jega took this position at a two-day retreat organised for senators by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom state.
According to him, though Nigeria’s electoral law could be said to be the best in the country’s history, it is not perfect, therefore requires further amendments to remove ambiguities, clarify and strengthen some of its sections.
Jega said the amendments should make the electronic transmission of results mandatory from the next general elections in 2027.
He also said the president should divested of power to appoint the chairman and National Commissioners of INEC to free the commission from partisanship.
He said the law should be reviewed to ensure that all cases arising from the conduct of elections are resolved and judgements made before the date of swearing-in.
Many stakeholders had expressed concern that section 64 of the Electoral Act, which states the process of transmission of election results, is susceptible to manipulation and misinterpretation.
But Jega said the section should be clarified by making election transmission of election results compulsory, including uploading of polling unit level results and result sheets used at different levels of result collation.
“INEC would have enough time to prepare for this, if the Act is amended early enough in the ensuing electoral cycle,” he said.
