Constitutional Amendments Alone Cannot Solve Electoral Challenges — INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says
constitutional and legal alterations and amendments alone cannot
solve the challenges of the electoral process in the country.

Mr Festus Okoye, the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman,
Information and Voter Education Committee, said this at the Post
2019 General Elections Review Meeting with the Media on Monday in
Lagos.

“While it is right and rational to alter the constitution and
amend the laws to take care of new, emerging and novel issues that
may arise or have arisen and not contemplated or anticipated by the
lawmakers, we must be careful not to fall into the trap of
believing that every electoral challenge must be solved through
constitutional or Electoral Act amendment.

“We must acknowledge that constitutional and legal alterations
and amendments alone cannot solve the challenges of the electoral
process.

“Reforms in the electoral process must include improvements in
the administration and management of elections.

“It must include a change in attitude by the major stakeholders
in the electoral process and a commitment to play by the
rules.”

According to him, as the country looks forward to off-season
elections, the media, civil society organisations, political
parties, the executive and the legislature must tease out areas of
the Constitution that are problematic, ambiguous or where we have
lacuna.

He said that such areas should be harvested, turned into bills
and presented to the National Assembly for legislative action.

Okoye said that the commission had carried out and was still
carrying out in-house review of the 2019 elections, urging all
stakeholders to do the same.

He said that the commission had flagged a few problematic
constitutional and electoral issues that the Nigerians should pay
attention to in shaping and reshaping the electoral process.

The INEC commissioner advised the stakeholders to lead the
debate on the desirability, workability, viability and utilitarian
value of some of the suggestions for legislative and constitutional
intervention.

Okoye said that the commission was interested in participants’
views on the adequacy or otherwise of the constitutional and legal
framework for registration and regulation of political parties.

“Should the number of political parties be regulated through
legislative intervention or should a threshold be set on the
conditions for their getting on the ballot?

“Should the National Assembly take a second look at the
conditions for the de-registration of political parties as spelt
out in section 225(A) of the Constitution?

“Are the conditions for de-registration of political parties
adequate?

“The possibility of shortening the timelines provided for the
activation of the courts and disposal of all pre-election matters
as provided in section 285 of the constitution.

“Should Nigeria adopt full electronic voting and transmission of
results or should the country adopt a duality that allows for
manual voting and electronic transmission of results?

“Should the country have a separate Electoral Offences
Commission and Tribunal to handle the issues of arrest,
investigation and prosecution of all electoral offences?”

Okoye said that the commission would no doubt harvest issues and
implement needed reforms within its mandate and would remain
focused.

He said that the commission would remain open to ideas and new
challenges, urging the media to assist it in reshaping the
electoral landscape to make for the conduct of free and transparent
elections.

“The Commission needs the support of the media in reshaping the
perception of the Nigerian people relating to its intentions and
its ability, courage and willingness to conduct good elections.

“The ability of the media to play this role also depends on its
understanding of the intricate issues in the electoral process.

“We urge the media to see the commission as a worthy ally in the
patriotic duty of giving the Nigerian people a good election,”
Okoye said.

NAN reports that the event was attended by the NUJ, line editors
and producers from various media organisations, INEC National
Commissioners and directors, among others.

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