Muslim Youth Endorses Proposal to Bar President, Governors From Appointing Electoral Chiefs

The National Muslim Youth Association (NMYA) has thrown its weight behind a bold proposal to strip the president and state governors of the power to appoint members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs).

The proposal, submitted to the National Assembly by former Senator Ikechukwu Obiorah, who represented Anambra South between 2007 and 2011, seeks a constitutional amendment to establish independent and neutral electoral bodies at federal and state levels.

At a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, Abdulraham Aliyu, NMYA president, said the current arrangement, where executive authorities control appointments, makes credible elections in Nigeria almost impossible.

“The introduction of the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) and the INEC result viewing portal (IReV) has not solved the problem of electoral manipulation in Nigeria,” Aliyu said. “Without impartiality and integrity within the electoral body, these systems remain vulnerable to abuse.”

The NMYA supports Obiorah’s proposal to constitute a new INEC comprising 13 commissioners: six elected by major labour and professional organisations, six nominated by the United Nations, and one observer from Transparency International.

Aliyu stressed that such an arrangement would make it harder to bribe or intimidate the electoral body and would restore public confidence in the electoral process, including enabling millions of Nigerians in the diaspora to vote.

Defending the inclusion of international stakeholders in Nigeria’s elections, Aliyu said: “This is consistent with the United Nations’ long-standing role in Nigeria’s development. The UN has supported healthcare, debt relief, infrastructure, and humanitarian efforts since independence. Involving them in elections is a continuation of this partnership.”

He added that poor governance and widespread poverty in Nigeria are consequences of rigged elections producing unaccountable leaders.

“Nigerian youths are suffering extreme poverty because leaders brought to power through manipulated elections have no incentive to govern effectively,” Aliyu said.

The association has urged the National Assembly to expedite the consideration and passage of Obiorah’s bill to restore faith in Nigeria’s democracy.