The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the last February 23rd presidential election, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has suggested that subsequent heads of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) appointed by the judiciary.
The PDP candidate, who is challenging the 2019 presidential election result in court, also called on the federal government to implement the Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais recommendations on electoral reform.
The Waziri Adamawa, in a stated he personally signed Monday, noted that the 2019 general elections were several steps down from the 2015 elections in terms of credibility, adding that as a democrat, he is challenging that election in the right the courts.
The statement read “I have been pondering on the question, how Nigeria can have credible elections. Our electoral system needs not just to be brought up to date, by the acceptance of the amendments to the Electoral Act passed by the eight National Assembly, we also need to be up to tomorrow by taking steps today to ensure that the lapses that made it possible for the 2019 elections to be manipulated or rigged are addressed.
“One way of addressing these lapses is to implement the salient recommendations of the National Electoral Reform Committee (NERC) headed by former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Lawal Uwais. The second is the creation of Electoral Crimes Commission.
“One of such recommendations, which will enhance the independence of the supposedly Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is the recommendation that the power to appoint the chairman and board of the INEC be taken away from the president and given to the judiciary.
“Of all three arms of government, the Judiciary is the least affected by elections, meaning that it has the highest objectivity in matters relating to the INEC. It is therefore in the best position of the three arms, to appoint a chairman and board members for the electoral body that are impartial, competent and patriotic.
“This recommendation may seem like a small change, but my experience in life has taught me never to underestimate the big difference small changes can make.
“Nigeria today faces a lot of challenges, chief of which are security and economic revival. To effectively tackle these problems, a government must have an honest and indisputable mandate”.
