CSO asks Tinubu to review Yusuf Tukur’s appointment as INEC commissioner over ‘violation’ of federal character
Tinubu had recently appointed Tukur as INEC national commissioner, representing the north-west.
The Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA), a civil society organisation (CSO), has called on President Bola Tinubu to reconsider the appointment of Yusuf Tukur as a national commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Tinubu had recently appointed Tukur as INEC national commissioner, representing the north-west.
However, in a letter to Tinubu signed by Ezenwa Nwagwu, PAACA executive director, the CSO said appointing Tukur, who is from Katsina state in the north-west, makes him the third representative from the zone.
PAACA said this constitutes a clear violation of the federal character principle, which mandates balanced representation of Nigeria’s diverse geopolitical zones.
“Adding a third national commissioner from the same region breaks the longstanding practice of equal representation in INEC appointments across the six geopolitical zones and undermines public trust in a balanced and impartial electoral body.
“Sir, the Third Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999, as amended) provides that the INEC shall consist of a chairman and twelve national commissioners.
“Further, Section 14(2) of the Constitution encourages the President to ensure that government appointments reflect the federal character of Nigeria, safeguarding against domination by a few states or ethnic groups within any governmental agency.
“Since its inception, INEC has followed a structure in which each geopolitical zone is represented by two national commissioners.
“The recent decision to appoint a third National Commissioner from the north-west—while leaving the south-east with only one representative since July 2023—breaks with this established balance and sets a concerning precedent.
“It is our humble opinion that for INEC to fulfill its mandate effectively, it must embody impartiality and reflect the balanced representation of Nigeria’s diverse geopolitical regions.
“The current overrepresentation of the north-west and the underrepresentation of the South-east undermines the public’s confidence in the commission’s ability to conduct free and fair elections.”
The CSO called on Tinubu to “reconsider the appointment of Abdulrazak Yusuf Tukur from the north-west geopolitical zone to avoid breaching the federal character principle; prioritize filling the south-east’s long-standing vacancy with a qualified national commissioner from that region, restoring the balanced representation in INEC; and ensure that future appointments reflect equitable distribution among Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, as mandated by the Constitution”.
