The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the National Assembly to speed up work on electoral reform proposals to avoid uncertainty in preparations for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made the appeal yesterday in Abuja while receiving the European Union (EU) Election Observation Follow-up Mission, led by Mr. Barry Andrews, a Member of the European Parliament.
Yakubu, who is approaching the last weeks of his second and last tenure, said early passage of amendments to the Electoral Act would ensure smooth planning for the polls.
‘We appeal to the National Assembly for an expeditious consideration of the electoral reform proposal. An early passage of law is critical to our planning for the elections,’ he said.
‘Uncertainty over the legal framework for the election can unsettle the work of the Commission as the election draws nearer,’ he added.
The INEC Chairman explained that the commission had acted on the recommendations addressed directly to it in the EU’s 2023 report.
‘Action has been taken on aspects of the recommendations that only require administrative action to implement. Similarly, action is being taken on cross-cutting recommendations that require collective action between INEC and other bodies and stakeholders while waiting for the conclusion of the ongoing legal review by the National Assembly,’ he said.
In his remarks, Mr Barry Andrews praised Nigeria’s importance in global democracy, describing the 2023 EU mission as one of the largest deployments to any country.
‘Our task is to assess progress made in implementing the recommendations from the 2023 elections. We have noted significant improvements in several areas, though some challenges remain, particularly those requiring judicial, administrative, and constitutional reforms,’ he said.