CSOs Make 37 Recommendations on Electoral Reforms to National Assembly

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Fifteen civil society organisations have presented the Citizens Memorandum containing 37 recommendations before the National Assembly to guide the lawmakers and election stakeholders on priority areas for immediate attention.

The recommendations covered reforming the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), amending the 1999 constitution and making amendments to the Electoral Act.

The text of the coalition was read to journalists at a news conference by the Executive Director of the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), Dr. Akin Akingbulu and Founder, ElectHER, Ibijoke Faborede, in Abuja.

The coalition said these electoral reforms would restore integrity, enhance efficiency, and ensure inclusivity in Nigeria’s electoral process, paving the way for more credible, fair, and democratic elections that would strengthen the nation’s political institutions and democratic culture.

Members of the coalition included: Yiaga Africa; Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO); Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA); ElectHER; International Press Centre (IPC); International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA); Justice, Development and Peace Makers Centre (JDPMC), Osogbo and Justice Development and Peace Movement (JDPM), Oyo.

Others are the Justice Development and Peace Initiative (JDPI), Ekiti; The Kukah Centre; Nigeria Women’s Trust Fund (NWTF); Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC); SOS Children’s Villages (SOS) and TAF Africa.

One of the key recommendations was the unbundling of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

They said: “As the National Assembly embarks on yet another round of electoral reforms, we present this Citizens Memorandum for Electoral Reforms as a crucial resource, which serves as a roadmap designed to guide lawmakers and all election stakeholders through priority areas in need of immediate attention. These amendments are strategic in their scope and ambitious in their vision, yet they are also rooted in practicality, responding to the realities of our current electoral system.

“The memorandum we present today focuses on three core pillars of the electoral legal framework for the conduct of elections: the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC Regulations and Guidelines for Elections. Our recommendations have been carefully divided into two parts: Part I offers 21 recommendations for constitutional alterations. These proposals aim to strengthen the independence of INEC, improve the processes for electoral adjudication, and refine key constitutional provisions to ensure fairness, transparency, and inclusivity in our electoral process. Part II presents sixteen (16) proposals for amending the Electoral Act 2022. These proposals address the inadequacies, complexities, and ambiguities that have hindered the efficient application of the Act. Our aim is to reposition the electoral legal framework against the backdrop of recent landmark judicial decisions that offer pathways for reform and to make the Act more reflective of our evolving electoral needs.

“Electoral reforms as proposed in the Citizens Memorandum, will play a vital role in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy by addressing various challenges and gaps in the electoral process.

“These electoral reforms are designed to restore integrity, enhance efficiency, and ensure inclusivity in Nigeria’s electoral process, paving the way for more credible, fair, and democratic elections that will strengthen the nation’s political institutions and democratic culture,” the CSOs explained.