The National Muslim Youth Association (NMYA) has expressed support for ex-senator Ikechukwu Obiorah’s proposal seeking to remove the powers of the president and governors to appoint members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and state independent electoral commissions (SIECs), saying honest elections are impossible under the current system.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Abdulraham Aliyu, president of the association, said the bill sponsored by Obiorah represents a “bold and necessary step” toward electoral credibility and good governance in Nigeria.
Aliyu, flanked by other executives of the association, argued that allowing political officeholders to appoint electoral commissioners undermines impartiality, as those same leaders or their parties are often contestants in the elections being supervised.
“Honest elections are impossible in Nigeria with the President and the Governors continuing to wield the power of appointing the electoral bodies,” Aliyu said.
“We align fully with Senator Obiorah’s position that the constitution must be amended to establish a truly independent and neutral INEC.”
The association also called on the national assembly to urgently consider and pass the draft bill to amend the constitution and establish what it called a new INEC; a commission composed of independently and neutrally appointed commissioners and officers.
Aliyu maintained that while the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) and INEC result viewing portal (IReV) have improved transparency, they remain vulnerable to manipulation without the integrity of the electoral body itself.
He said Obiorah’s proposal, which suggests the appointment of 13 commissioners, including six elected by Nigerian labour and professional bodies, six nominated by the United Nations, and one observer from Transparency International, would strengthen transparency and reduce political interference.
“What stands out in Senator Obiorah’s proposed new INEC is that it would be more difficult to bribe or intimidate such an internationally composed electoral body,” Aliyu added.
“The inclusion of global institutions would also improve election organization and make vote buying more difficult.”
The NMYA also linked poor governance and economic hardship to the failure of credible elections, arguing that many of Nigeria’s socio-economic challenges, including mass youth unemployment and rising poverty, stem from “dishonest and rigged electoral processes.”
“Presently, about 50 to 60 million youths across the nation are unemployed or underemployed,” Aliyu said.
“Because elections are often rigged, leaders feel no compulsion to deliver good governance, and citizens cannot hold them accountable.”
Responding to concerns about international involvement in Nigeria’s elections, the association argued that the United Nations and other foreign entities have long supported Nigeria’s governance, humanitarian, and development efforts.
“It is the same United Nations helping Nigeria in coordinating and implementing the sustainable development goals (SDGs), strengthening government institutions, and assisting during humanitarian crises in the north-east,” the statement read.
The association therefore urged the national assembly, state assemblies, and the presidency to work together to enact the proposed constitutional amendment and ensure the establishment of a reformed and credible electoral system.
