Obiorah Seeks Bill to End Presidential Control of INEC Appointments

A former Senator and legal practitioner, Ikechukwu Obiorah, has submitted a bill to the National Assembly proposing a constitutional amendment to remove the President and Governors from the process of appointing members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs).

Obiorah, who represented Anambra South Senatorial District between 2007 and 2011, disclosed the proposal in his treatise, The Philosophy of Elections and Nigeria’s Fake Democracy, made available to journalists in Abuja on Sunday.

The ex-Senator argued that the current system, which allows the President and Governors to appoint electoral officials, compromises the integrity of elections. He likened it to allowing a person to act as a judge in their own case, contributing to decades of electoral malpractice.

“Since Independence, over 90 percent of all elections—Presidential, Parliamentary, Governorship, National Assembly, House of Assembly, and Local Government—have been rigged, manipulated, or outrightly nullified,” Obiorah said, linking the country’s persistent underdevelopment and mass poverty to electoral fraud.

Under Obiorah’s proposal, INEC would comprise thirteen commissioners: six elected by six major Nigerian labour and professional organizations, six nominated by the United Nations, and one observer nominated by Transparency International. The body would elect its chairman, hire and dismiss staff, and oversee all elections across Nigeria.

Obiorah stressed that involving the UN and Transparency International would be a voluntary step to enhance transparency, not a violation of Nigeria’s sovereignty. He also recommended mandatory use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS) and electronic transmission of results via the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) to further safeguard electoral integrity.

The former Senator argued that free and fair elections are the foundation of genuine democracy and development, noting that his proposed reforms could help steer Nigeria out of poverty.

The bill is currently before the National Assembly for consideration.