ADC’s policy document reveals Atiku’s plan to make INEC autonomous

The policy document of Atiku Abubakar presidency on the platform of the African Democratic Party, ADC, reveals that he planned to make the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, automous.

According to the document, titled: “Remove direct Executive control over the appointment of Electoral Officers, to strengthen the independence, credibility and public trust in Nigeria’s elections”, maintained that the current system which afforda presidency powers to appoint INEC Chairman and Commissioners erodes peoples confidence in the electoral empire.

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The paper posited that the current arrangement where the president appoints INEC Chairman, National Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commissioners was unfair.

CAPITAL POST recalled that concerns have been trailing appointment of officers of the INEC, who at the end are loyal to the administration of the day.

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In 2018, ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has nominated Mrs Amina Zakari as INEC’s National Commissioner, amid nationwide criticism and protests over links with Buhari’s family.

It was recalled that the Nigerian Senate in 2021 had to reject the nomination of Lauretta Onochie from Delta State over her partnership and loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari at the time

It’s the tradition of the ruling party’s sitting President to appoint the National Chairman of INEC, National Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commissioners and recommend them to the Senate for confirmation.

The fears of loyalty to the powers that be and the tendency to work for government in powers has refused to die down from administration to administration.

The debates have continued with the recent appointment of the current INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which has continued to draw allegations of partisanship and electoral fraud in favour of the President and his APC, just ahead of the 2027 general elections.

For Atiku, the practice must end. The ADC Document proposes to: “Establish an independent, multi-Stakeholder selection process, involving the Judiciary, Civil Society and Professional Bodies.”

It also seeks to: “Provide secure tenure for appointed Officials, to protect them from political pressure or arbitrary removal.”

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