May 12, (THEWILL) – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has forwarded eight of the 142 recommendations from its independent review of 2023 general election with stakeholders, to the National Assembly for constitutional and electoral amendments.
The Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, made this known to State House Correspondents after the swearing in ceremony of two Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, at the State House by President Bola Tinubu.
Professor Yakubu also confirmed that, given the swift progress by the National Assembly in processing the electoral reform bills, Nigeria is expected to have a new Electoral Act in place before the 2027 general elections.
Yakubu said the Commission has been interfacing with the members of the Joint Committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on electoral reforms on the need for swift action to implement necessary change.
“On electoral reforms we have been interfacing with the National Assembly two weeks ago we had a retreat in Lagos with the joint committee of the Senate and House of Representatives on electoral reforms and the National Assembly, NASS will organise a public hearing and it is after the public hearing that a new bill will be submitted to the President for assent.
“So we are are working with the NASS on electoral reforms .We reviewed the 2023 general elections on our own we engage with the stakeholders and we came out with a 142 recommendations 8 require constitutional or electoral amendment and we discussed this with members of the NASS. So far so good we are happy with our discussions with them, we are also happy with the speed with which they want to process so that we have some necessary amendments down to the electoral act ahead of the 2027 general elections”, he said.
Responding to questions on the controversy of his sack from office as the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu dismissed the speculation and affirmed that under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he remains the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the federation and the returning officer for the Presidential election.
“I don’t think we need to waste time on this unnecessary speculation, as far back as the law is concerned as much as I am aware ,I remain the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission and under the constitution the Chief Electoral Commissioner of the federation and under the Electoral law the returning officer for the Presidential election”, he added.
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