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The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, announced on Thursday that the Commission has identified 142 recommendations aimed at refining Nigeria’s electoral process.
These recommendations cover several critical areas, including electoral preparedness, voter education, political party and candidate management, logistics, election technology, security, and the legal framework governing elections.
Prof. Yakubu made these remarks during a consultative meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Abuja, marking the Commission’s final meeting for the year. The discussions centered on lessons learned from the 2023 General Election and detailed planning for future elections.
Out of the 142 recommendations, 86 require administrative actions by INEC itself. Yakubu emphasized the importance of engaging RECs first, given their pivotal role in implementing these reforms.
Additionally, 48 recommendations involve various stakeholders, such as security agencies, mobile network operators, statutory bodies, political parties, transport unions, civil society organizations, and the media.
Yakubu also highlighted that eight of the recommendations require legislative action by the National Assembly. He noted that INEC would soon present these proposals to the Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in the Senate and House of Representatives as part of ongoing electoral reform efforts.
Among the Commission’s key proposals is the need for legal clarity on result management, particularly the use of manual versus electronic result transmission.
Yakubu further suggested revisiting the use of the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) as the sole means of voter accreditation. He proposed that computer-generated slips, either issued to voters or downloaded from INEC’s website, could suffice for accreditation in future elections.
“This approach will not only reduce costs but also address challenges surrounding the collection of PVCs and the malpractice of purchasing voter cards to disenfranchise individuals,” he stated.
INEC remains committed to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process and ensure greater transparency and efficiency in future elections.
