By Ademola Adedoyin (SIWES student, D S Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic)
Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, contends that INEC’s ability to conduct impartial elections is undermined by the appointment of REC members who have active political party affiliations.
This concern was voiced during an interview on Channels TV, where Falana highlighted a recurring issue since 1999 – the ruling party appointing its own members to the electoral body.
This situation has prompted the need for constitutional amendments and various electoral reform committees under past Nigerian governments, including Yar’Adua, Jonathan, and Buhari. Notably, President Tinubu, as the leader of the CAN, established a committee for electoral reforms to support the implementation of the Uwais Panel’s recommendations.
One critical recommendation from the panel is the necessity for impartial referees throughout the electoral process. According to Falana, INEC faces a challenge in conducting fair elections when REC or national commissioner positions are filled by card-carrying members or loyalists of political parties.
The Senate confirmed the final three RECs after President Tinubu’s initial seven appointments were confirmed the previous day.
