The Policy and Legal Advocacy Center has raised concerns over the credibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission, calling for its immediate reconstitution to restore public trust ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking during the launch of PLAC’s Human Rights Report in Abuja on Monday, the Executive Director, Clement Nwankwo, said a recent survey conducted by the organisation revealed a significant decline in citizens’ confidence in INEC.
He emphasised the need for urgent reforms, noting that the current leadership of INEC lacks the credibility to oversee the next electoral cycle.
Nwankwo said, “A survey we conducted showed that citizens’ confidence in the electoral body has badly deteriorated. The fact is that citizens have lost trust in the INEC as presently constituted.
“If we are going into election in 2027, President Tinubu would need to study reports of the 2023 elections, including the flawed system that brought him to power.
“It is time for the country to sit down and prepare a blueprint for the conduct of future elections.
“We believe that INEC should be reconstituted in time for the next election. That needs to be done immediately because we do not think that the current leadership of INEC is prepared for the next election as it is already tainted.”
While acknowledging INEC’s recent participation in observing Ghana’s elections, Nwankwo expressed hope that lessons were learnt from the process.
He said, “It is good to see that Nigeria’s election management body was in Ghana to observe the just concluded election in the country. It is our hope that they learnt something from that election.
When you look at what happened in this country in 2015, you will see that it was similar to what also happened in Ghana.
“However, since that 2015 incident where the incumbent president conceded defeat to the opposition candidate, the election management body has continued to have a problem of deficit of credibility of individuals running it.
“The way the individuals manage the system and the trust issue, are the problems, not the absence of the necessary laws.
“We have sufficient laws; the problem is with individuals tinkering with them to achieve selfish ends. The current INEC should step down immediately. We are also worried that the process of appointment of INEC officials has not changed.
“All the suggestions by the Justice Uwais Committee need to be looked at. We must go back to the suggestions and see how it can be implemented.”
Meanwhile, in its 2024 report on the state of human rights in the country, PLAC said the federal government must prioritise the review and enforcement of laws that protect vulnerable groups, such as children, women, and internally displaced persons.
“There is growing concern that the human rights situation in Nigeria has taken a deep dive and that incidents of abuse of rights are increasingly rampant.
“To address impunity, law enforcement agencies must establish independent oversight bodies to investigate and prosecute cases of police brutality, sexual harassment, and other human rights abuses by state actors.
“Addressing the socio-economic drivers of human rights abuses requires targeted investment in poverty alleviation, job creation, and education programmes.
“Special focus should be placed on empowering women and youths, through skill acquisition programmes and access to financial resources.
“Additionally, social safety nets for vulnerable groups, including widows, orphans, and internally displaced persons, must be strengthened to reduce their susceptibility to exploitation,” it added.
