By Erewunmi Peace

A former senator, Ikechukwu Obiorah, has submitted a constitutional amendment bill seeking to strip President Bola Tinubu – and any future Nigerian president – of the power to appoint the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Obiorah, who represented Anambra South in the Senate between 2007 and 2011, argues that the appointment of the INEC chairman by the president compromises the commission’s independence. He proposed that a neutral body should be vested with the authority to oversee such appointments.

“The credibility of elections is at the heart of democracy. No one should be both a player and a referee in Nigeria’s electoral process,” Obiorah said while unveiling the proposal.

Currently, Section 154 of the 1999 Constitution empowers the president to appoint the INEC chairman, subject to Senate confirmation. Obiorah’s bill seeks to amend this provision, insisting that an independent mechanism would ensure transparency and strengthen public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.

The draft has been submitted to the National Assembly for consideration. However, constitutional amendments require approval by two-thirds of both chambers of the National Assembly and ratification by at least 24 of Nigeria’s 36 state Houses of Assembly.

Political observers note that while the bill reflects growing calls for electoral reforms, its passage may face stiff resistance due to the complexity of constitutional change and entrenched political interests.

INEC’s current chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, was appointed in 2015 and reappointed in 2020. His tenure has witnessed both reforms and controversies, including debates over electronic transmission of results and the conduct of the 2023 general elections.

If passed, Obiorah’s proposal could mark a significant shift in Nigeria’s democratic landscape by limiting presidential influence on electoral processes.