The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has called for the early
passage of the amended electoral law to enable effective planning ahead of the
next general election.
Yakubu made the appeal on Thursday in Abuja during a
meeting with the European Union (EU) Election Observation Follow-up Mission
to Nigeria, led by Barry Andrews, who also headed the EU mission during
the 2023 polls.
He stressed that uncertainty over the legal framework
unsettles the commission’s preparations as elections draw closer.
“In 2019, the EU made 30 recommendations, 11 of which
were directed to INEC,” Yakubu recalled. “For 2023, there were 23
recommendations, eight of which (34.8%) were for INEC, while the remaining 15
(65.2%) were for other stakeholders, including the executive, legislature,
judiciary, political parties, and civil society.”
Yakubu said INEC had acted on recommendations
requiring only administrative measures and was working with other stakeholders
on those needing joint action. He added that the commission was also awaiting
the National Assembly’s review of recommendations requiring legislative
intervention.
The INEC Chairman disclosed that the commission’s own
post-election review produced 142 recommendations for electoral reform,
with its comprehensive report already published.
Andrews, in his remarks, commended INEC’s progress and
acknowledged challenges around judicial, administrative, and constitutional
reforms. He emphasized that the EU’s recommendations align with international
democratic standards and are aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s electoral
process.
He also highlighted the EU mission’s particular
interest in measures to improve transparency in result publication, especially
in light of off-cycle governorship elections held since 2023.
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