Attahiru Jega, former Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), has emphasized that the president should not have the authority to appoint the electoral boss, proposing new measures for credible election management in Nigeria. Jega, renowned for overseeing one of Nigeria's elections, has called for amendments to the Electoral Act of 2022 to mandate electronic posting of all election tallies.
While acknowledging that the current electoral law is an improvement, he believes it can still be enhanced to eliminate ambiguities and strengthen provisions. Jega advocates making electronic result transmission mandatory for the 2027 general elections. He insists that the president's power to appoint INEC's chairman and National Commissioners should be relinquished to ensure the commission's impartiality.
To address concerns about election result manipulation, Jega recommends clarifying Section 64 of the Electoral Act and making the electronic transmission of results compulsory, including uploading polling unit-level results and result sheets at different levels of collation.
Jega also suggests enabling early voting for eligible voters on election duty, such as INEC staff, observers, security personnel, and journalists. Additionally, he calls for the introduction of diaspora voting for presidential elections, allowing citizens abroad to participate. Jega emphasizes the need to enhance gender inclusion in elective positions, possibly by reserving 35% for women. He also supports proscribing cross-carpeting by elected officials and providing stringent conditions for candidate withdrawal and replacement.
