INEC Advocates Amendments to Improve Electoral Process

ABUJA- The Independent National Electoral Commission has suggested improvements to strengthen the country's electoral system in light of the 2023 general election and subsequent off-cycle polling.

The commission also stated that it will offer its legislative ideas to the appropriate committees in the Senate and House.

In a meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners in Abuja on Thursday, INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu detailed the commission's vision for addressing long-standing difficulties and modernizing election administration.

“Having released our 524-page main report on the election, a copy of which is available on our website, we have consulted widely internally with our officials and externally with all major stakeholders.

“With the conclusion of five major off-cycle Governorship elections and nine out of 21 bye-elections since the 2023 General Election, this is the most appropriate time for us to commence the implementation of the recommendations arising from our review of the General Election.

“From the internal and external engagements, the Commission has identified 142 recommendations dealing with the general state of preparedness, voter management, voter education and public communication, political parties and candidate management, electoral operations, and logistics management, election officials and personnel, partnership and collaboration, monitoring and supervision, election technology, voting and result management, election security, electoral offenses, and the electoral legal framework,” the chairman said.

Of these, 86 necessitate administrative action by the Commission, 48 rely on coordination with stakeholders like as security services and civil society organizations, and eight require legislative modifications by the National Assembly.

The professor stated, "Of the 142 recommendations, 86 require administrative action by the Commission." Because of your frontline role in implementing the recommendations, we must begin by engaging with our Resident Electoral Commissioners.