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Chairpersons

Yiaga Africa Calls for Constitutional Amendment to Strip President of Power to Appoint INEC Chairman

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Renowned civil society organisation, Yiaga Africa, has called for a constitutional amendment to strip the President of the power to appoint the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This proposal was made at a sensitisation workshop organised by Yiaga Africa for civil society groups in Anambra State ahead of the November governorship election. The organisation's Programme Manager, Cynthia Mbamalu, stated that the workshop aimed to enable CSOs to brainstorm on potential flaws that could make the outcome of the election not credible. A key recommendation was for the commission to be composed of representatives from various professional organisations, such as the Nigerian Bar Association, Nigeria Union of Journalists, and others, to recommend applicants for INEC chairman to the National Assembly.

Key Takeaways:

  • Yiaga Africa recommends stripping the President of the power to appoint the INEC chairman through a constitutional amendment.
  • The proposed amendment would create a commission composed of representatives from various professional organisations to recommend applicants for INEC chairman.
  • The recommended commission would screen and shortlist qualified applicants before forwarding them to the National Assembly for public hearing.
  • Any person appointed INEC chairman should not have belonged to any political party, and should be a courageous person who can reject pressure from higher authorities.
  • A member of Yiaga Africa's Board of Trustees, Prof. Nnamdi Aduba, called for a law to make political offices less attractive by cutting down salaries and allowances.
  • The organisation plans to deploy 250 observers under its Process and Result Verification for Transparency (PRVT) in polling units across 21 local government areas in Anambra State during the governorship election.
  • Yiaga Africa will also deploy 22 citizen observers across the 21 local governments on election day to observe the conduct of the polls.
  • The organisation has already started sensitisation of electorate at local and ward levels to turn out en mass and shun electoral malpractices.

Statistics:

  • 250 observers will be deployed by Yiaga Africa under its PRVT initiative in polling units across 21 local government areas in Anambra State.
  • 22 citizen observers will be deployed by Yiaga Africa across the 21 local governments on election day.
  • Yiaga Africa will conduct sensitisation of electorate at local and ward levels in Anambra State ahead of the governorship election.

Sources:

  • "Yiaga Africa Calls for Amendment of Electoral Law to Strip President of Appointing Power" by [name not specified]
  • Yiaga Africa's sensitisation workshop for civil society groups in Anambra State.
  • Yiaga Africa's Programme Manager, Cynthia Mbamalu's statement.
  • Prof. Nnamdi Aduba's call for a law to reduce the salaries and allowances of political office holders.
  • Yiaga Africa's deployment of observers under its PRVT initiative.

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