By Chimezie Godfrey
The Electoral Forum has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to enforce the prosecution of double nomination violators.
This was part of the resolution contained in a Communique issued at the end of the Electoral Forum’s Post-Political Dialogue on Nomination, Withdrawal, and Substitution of Candidates, held recently in Abuja.
The Communique which was signed by the Chairman of the Forum, Professor Adebayo Olukoshi was part of the Forum’s advocacy towards promoting electoral knowledge, accountability, and integrity in the Country’s electoral process.
According to it, the objectives of the Policy Dialogue were to unpack the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, to deepen knowledge and provide public enlightenment on the Electoral Act, and to provide strategic recommendations on the issues of nomination, withdrawal, and substitution of candidates ahead of the 2023 general elections.
It equally revealed that the policy dialogue featured a panel session that discussed extensively the issues arising from the nomination, withdrawal, and substitution of candidates, and the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.
It was chaired by Professor Adebayo Olukoshi, the Chairman of the Electoral Forum. The panellists were Professor Irene Pogoson, Professor Sam Amadi, Mma Odi, and Barrister Victor Opatola. Other participants included members of the civil society, academics, and policy makers.
The Communique disclosed that after extensive deliberation, the Policy Dialogue observed that the new Electoral Act conferred powers on INEC to act as a strong regulator and an independent body.
It observed that the primaries conducted suggest confusion on the part of the political parties in the selection of candidates or/and an ingenious attempt to circumvent the law.
Others are the fact that INEC is primarily a regulator but its transactional roles overshadow the regulatory aspects, the manifest lack of ideologies on the part of political parties has brought about major setbacks in the electoral process, and that the Electoral Act 2022 is very clear on the issue of nomination, withdrawal, and substitution of candidates, among others.
In view of the foregoing, it was recommended that INEC needs to enforce the prosecution of double nomination violators, and should publish reports from monitored primaries, among others.
It stated,”In view of the observations made during the Policy Dialogue, the following recommendations were made: INEC needs to enforce the prosecution of double nomination violators.
·INEC should publish reports from monitored primaries.
·As a regulator, INEC should undertake hearings; take evidence and make decisions by the Commission public and anyone who does not agree with those decisions should go to court.
·There is a need for the Commission to remove discretion in its dealings with the political parties to show confidence to stakeholders.
·INEC, which expectedly should provide the best interpretation of the provisions of the Electoral Act must uphold its own duties, and not succumb to political intrigues.
·INEC should take the lead role in educating and sensitizing stakeholders, particularly the political parties and their leaders on what the law expects of them.
·INEC should give decisions like an administrative tribunal does because the Electoral Act recognizes it as the expert on electoral matters.”
The Communique added that political parties should be strengthened in order to make it easier for INEC to perform the role of a strong regulator in the management of the electoral process.
It said INEC should enforce internal standards, ethics, and discipline, particularly in regard to administrative staff that might compromise the integrity of the Commission.
“INEC needs to be proactively open and transparent in its affairs regarding the disclosure of reports that emanate from its field observation activities.
“INEC should standardize its findings and if possible, transmit them digitally on the Commission’s portal to enhance the credibility of the Commission and eliminate bias on the part of field observers.
“INEC should produce a proper proceeding based on the law and evidence from properly monitored field reports and publish public hearings with established facts.
“There should be a free and formal mode of making decisions by INEC.
“INEC should develop a much richer, much more controlling rulemaking process that tells everybody how the Commission resolves challenges,” it said.
It concluded that going forward, it is pertinent to note that the controversies ravaging the electoral process are a result of the lack of proper understanding of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 on the part of critical stakeholders such as politicians and political parties.
It however noted that this can be addressed by adequate enlightenment and education of the stakeholders on the provisions of the Act. These issues point to the need for political parties to be strengthened and INEC to act as a strong regulator by making decisions within the confines of the existing legal frameworks.
