INEC has lost its independence —Ekweremadu

Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, said on Tuesday that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is fast losing its independence in view of what he called recent happenings.

Ekweremadu, who spoke at a retreat organised by the Presidential Committee on Constitution Review held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said constitutional and electoral reform were necessary to restore “the fast declining independence of the INEC, in order to preserve the nation’s democracy.”

He also canvassed the introduction of a single term of six years for president and governors to reduce the desperation of some elected government officials for re-election.

According to him, “Nigeria is sadly on the part of decline in its leadership role in Africa in almost all sectors, including electoral system.”

Ekweremadu, who is also the chairman, Senate Committee on Constitution Review, said the National Assembly in 2010 amended Sections 81 and 156 of the 1999 Constitution to guarantee the financial autonomy and neutrality of INEC, but lamented that the gains made from such provisions in the 2011 and 2015 general elections were being eroded.

He said: “The word ‘independent’ in the name of our election management body, INEC, is critical and must be defended and preserved if our democracy must survive.

“The Bible says that if salt loses its saltiness, it becomes worthless and can only be thrown away. The word ‘independent’ is the salt in our election management body. All the past reforms and the present efforts will be meaningless if we sit back and watch some desperate politicians destroy the independence of our electoral umpire.

“The world is watching too.We must ensure that INEC is retained to INEC in name and practice, not just National Electoral Commission as it is presently and dangerously drifting to. Inconclusiveness, postponement, cancellation and manipulation are dangerous signs on the road to 2019.”

Ekweremadu proposed a jail term without option of fine for security agents, as well as staff and ad hoc staff of INEC, whom he said presently “get away with brazen impunity and malpractices.

“It is wrong for anybody to engage in electoral malpractice, but it is even worse if guardians of the sanctity of the ballot box become the desecrators of the process,” he said.

He also advocated a single term of six years for presidents and governors to cure what he described as “the desperation of incumbents,” which he said defiles the electoral process and endangers democracy.

He stated: “Much of the impunity, violence and malpractices that defile our electoral system are caused by desperation for a second term of office; a single term of six years, for example, for incumbent executives to conclude all their ‘good work’ will certainly reduce the weight and influence they bring to bear on elections remotely or directly affecting them.”

Ekweremadu also stated that party primaries should be conducted by INEC to help reduce power struggle within political parties.

“This is the practice in Ghana. It will reduce the competition amongst stakeholders to take control of the party machinery. At the moment, it is almost a life and death matter during the primaries of political parties,” he said.

He said since the electoral laws were amended in 2010 to end funding of political parties by INEC, such funds should be channeled to financing conduct of party primaries by INEC.

Ekweremadu also canvassed the amendment of Section 77 of the Constitution to allow diaspora voting, noting that “Nigeria has a themeing diaspora community, both in terms of number and quality, and these people deserve to have a say in who governs their country, especially given their contributions to national development.”

The Deputy Senate President also canvassed other reforms to the electoral process which included rotation of presidential and governorship seats among the geopolitical zones and senatorial districts, respectively; compulsory electronic voting; early primaries; conclusion of pre-election matters before general election and a hybrid of presidential and parliamentary system to reduce cost of governance and improve synergy between the executive and legislature.

He also pledged the commitment of the National Assembly to working with the Presidential Committee in the amendment process.