The head of Nigeria’s electoral body has challenged the country’s political parties to clean up their internal candidate selection processes, warning that non-transparent primaries are destroying public trust and clogging the courts before voters ever cast a ballot.
Speaking last Thursday in Abuja, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, said the majority of election disputes stem from undemocratic practices within political parties long before general elections take place.
Tackling Court Battles Early
Prof. Amupitan argued that the imposition of preferred candidates, opaque primary votes, and a disregard for party rules routinely trigger unnecessary litigation. To resolve this, he proposed amending Nigeria’s Electoral Act to force political parties to conclude all candidate nominations at least a year before general elections.”Credible elections begin with credible candidate selection processes,” Amupitan said while delivering a keynote speech on pathways to peaceful elections in 2027. He added that resolving internal disputes early would free up the electoral commission to focus on its primary duty: organizing credible polls.
Demands for Financial Independence
The INEC chief also called for constitutional reforms to grant the electoral body complete financial independence. While the commission receives guaranteed funds under the constitution, Prof Amupitan explained that it is still subject to standard government budgeting constraints. He advocated drawing INEC’s operational budget directly from the central Federation Account to prevent administrative delays and political interference.
Government Pledges Openness
Addressing the audience, Nigerian Vice President Kashim Shettima—represented by senior adviser Aliyu Modibbo—acknowledged the role of media and civic debate in a healthy democracy, stating that governments must remain open to public critique.”Democracy thrives when governments tolerate criticism and remain accountable to the people,” Shettima said, warning that leaders who fail to listen risk losing public trust.
Context: A High-Profile Gathering
Prof. Amupitan’s address came at the public presentation of Shadows: Protest Essays on Africa’s Most Consequential Country (1999–2023), a two-volume book by Eniola Bello, Managing Director of THISDAY, one of Nigeria’s primary daily newspapers. The event gathered top government officials, legal experts, diplomats, and media leaders ahead of Nigeria’s next major national political cycle in 2027.
Add Comment