2027: CSOs seek independent body to select INEC Chairman 

…decry shrinking public space

Ahead of the forthcoming general elections and the expiration of the tenure of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, certain Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called for a process that would insulate the sitting President from the selection of the Chairman of the electoral body.

The proposal formed part of the reforms unveiled by the Coalition of CSOs towards inspiring confidence in the electoral process. 

The documents tagged policy briefs were unveiled on Tuesday in Abuja at an event organized by the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA) in partnership with the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD), with support from the MacArthur Foundation.

In his key note address, Dr. Hussaini Abdu whose paper, ” Towards a free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria,” offered an insight into policy proposals contained in the policy reforms, maintained that giving the selection of  Chairman of INEC to an independent body would foster confidence in the outcome of elections, as against the present arrangement in which a sitting President who is seeking a fresh mandate decides the head of the electoral umpire.

Abdu, who recalled past experiences under Professors Maurice Iwu, Attahiru Jega, and the incumbent Mahmood Yakubu, urged Nigeria to borrow a leaf from South Africa and Kenya, which created a platform of multiple stakeholders to screen candidates for its electoral body.

He said: “If credible elections are the heartbeat of democracy, and civic space is the oxygen that keeps it alive. Then INEC,  our electoral umpire, is the referee tasked with ensuring the rules of the game are fair.

“But here lies the problem: how can we expect the game to be fair when the referee is chosen by one of the teams?

“This third memorandum compels us to confront this uncomfortable but crucial truth: INEC’s independence is only as strong as the process by which its leaders are selected. And today, that process is fundamentally flawed. Think back to our history.

“When Maurice Iwu was appointed Chairman of INEC in 2005, concerns over his perceived closeness to the Presidency immediately tainted public trust. The 2007 elections under his watch were described as some of the worst in our history. Riddled with violence, fraud, and a level of malpractice that even international observers called “deeply flawed.”

“Then came Attahiru Jega in 2010. His appointment brought a wave of optimism. Under his leadership, we saw innovations like the biometric register and card readers. But even Jega’s INEC faced accusations of bias and operational lapses, with some alleging the 2015 elections tilted in favour of certain interests.

“Fast forward to Mahmood Yakubu. His tenure saw significant technological strides, like the introduction of BVAS and the IReV portal. Yet the controversies surrounding the 2023 elections, technical glitches, delayed uploads, and the perception of partisanship once again left Nigerians questioning the neutrality of the Commission.

“These episodes point to one inescapable conclusion: no matter how competent or well-intentioned an INEC Chairman may be, if the appointment process is seen as partisan, the institution itself will remain under suspicion.

“The third memorandum proposes a bold and necessary reform: the creation of an independent panel to oversee the appointment of INEC’s leadership.

“Imagine a system where candidates for INEC Chair and Commissioners emerge through a transparent, merit-based, and competitive process, overseen by a body that includes the judiciary, professional associations, civil society, and other stakeholders. Imagine an INEC whose leadership owes allegiance not to the Presidency, but to the Nigerian people.

“This reform would do more than fix an administrative loophole. It would strike at the heart of the trust deficit that has plagued our elections for decades.

“We don’t have to dream too hard. Kenya’s Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) already uses a consultative approach involving multiple stakeholders. South Africa also has a relatively similar process. While not perfect, it has strengthened public confidence in their electoral system.  

“As Nigeria approaches the post-Mahmood Yakubu era, we stand at a crossroads. We can continue with business as usual, where every appointment raises suspicion and every election begins under a cloud. Or we can seize this moment to entrench a system that restores trust in the electoral process for a generation to come.

“Because let’s face it: when the referee is fair, both winners and losers can accept the outcome. But when the referee is compromised, democracy itself is at risk.”

The Forum equally decried what it called the shrinking civic space, which it attributed to the deliberate agenda of those holding elective offices to suppress the voices of dissent.

“We cannot talk about credible elections without talking about civic space. Civic space is the oxygen of democracy; it is where citizens organise, speak out, hold leaders accountable, and demand better governance. But in Nigeria today, that oxygen is running out.

“We’ve witnessed, with increasing alarm, the slow suffocation of civic engagement. Protests are crushed under the weight of excessive force. Laws meant to regulate have been weaponised to repress. The Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), the Cybercrime Act, and counter-terrorism frameworks are often used, not to strengthen security or governance, but to muzzle dissent and intimidate civil society.

“We are also seeing a more insidious trend: the use of poverty and fear to keep citizens silent. When millions are struggling to survive, participation in governance feels like a luxury they cannot afford.

“Here’s the hard truth: when civic space dies, democracy dies.”

In her opening remarks, Hajiya Saudatu Mahdi, Secretary General, WRAPA, admonished Nigerians to make a conscious, concerted effort to safeguard democracy.

“As we gather today, let us recommit ourselves to building a Nigeria where elections are credible, civic voices are protected, and poverty no longer excludes citizens from full democratic participation. The 2027 elections are not far off; the time to act is now…Together, we can safeguard Nigeria’s democracy, expand inclusion, and leave a stronger civic and governance framework for the future.”

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