Group alleges violation of federal character in appointment of INEC Commissioner

A Civil Society Organisation, Peering Advocacy and Advancement Center successful Africa, PAACA has petitioned President Bola Tinubu implicit an alleged usurpation of the Federal Character Principle successful the caller assignment of National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Its Executive Director, Ezenwa Nwagwu, successful a missive addressed to the President, said the North-West geopolitical portion is presently represented by 2 National Commissioners successful persons of Prof. Abdullahi Zuru from Kebbi State and Prof. Muhammed Kallah from Katsina State.

He stressed that the caller assignment of Abdulrazak Tukur, from Katsina State arsenic a National Commissioner adds a 3rd typical from the North West zone.

Tukur’s appointment, Ezenwa insisted, constituted a wide usurpation of the Principle of Federal Character, which mandates balanced practice of Nigeria’s divers geopolitical zones.

Nwangwu was of the sentiment that adding a 3rd National Commissioner from the aforesaid portion breaks the longstanding signifier of adjacent practice successful INEC appointments crossed the six geopolitical zones and undermines nationalist spot successful a balanced and impartial electoral body.

He explained that since its inception, INEC has followed a operation successful which each geopolitical portion is represented by 2 nationalist commissioners, noting that the caller determination to name a 3rd National Commissioner from the North West, portion leaving the South East with lone 1 typical since July 2023 breaks the established equilibrium and sets a concerning precedent.

Nwangwu added that specified actions suggest a determination imbalance that could interaction the Commission’s quality to behaviour elections credibly, particularly arsenic the state approaches the 2027 wide elections.

He noted: “Your Excellency, determination is nary nationalist accusation indicating that Professor Muhammed Sani Kallah from Katsina, has resigned arsenic a National Commissioner, oregon that a vacancy exists successful this position. This raises questions astir the request for appointing a 3rd typical from the North West, peculiarly from the aforesaid state.

“It is important to respectfully gully your attraction that it has present been 1 twelvemonth and 4 months since Festus Okoye, the erstwhile National Commissioner representing the South East, completed his archetypal tenure successful July 2023. Despite the South East’s vacancy remaining unfilled, this caller assignment rushed to capable the North West’s vacancy instead, frankincense elevating the practice of 1 portion supra others,”

Nwagwu, therefore, called connected the President to prioritise filling the South East’s long-standing vacancy with a qualified National Commissioner from that region, restoring the balanced practice successful INEC.

He pointed retired that the hold successful filling the South East vacancy and the unreserved to adhd a 3rd typical to the North West raises important questions astir the fairness and impartiality of INEC’s composition.

He stated: “It is our humble sentiment that for INEC to fulfill its mandate effectively, it indispensable embody impartiality and bespeak the balanced practice of Nigeria’s divers geopolitical regions. The existent overrepresentation of the North West and the underrepresentation of the South East undermines the public’s assurance successful the Commission’s quality to behaviour escaped and just elections.

“As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections, these imbalances make important credibility concerns that could undermine spot successful the electoral process and INEC’s relation arsenic an unbiased institution.”