CSOs storm NASS with demands on electoral reforms

A coalition of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) focused on elections, good governance and democratic participation for citizens and traditionally marginalised groups has presented its Citizens Memorandum on Electoral Reforms to the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Electoral Matters.

According to the coalition, the move was part of its engagement on improving Nigeria’s electoral legal framework for credible and inclusive elections.

Presenting the memorandum to the Committee, Dr. Akin Akingbulu, the Executive Director of the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) said the coalition hoped that the memorandum would serve as a critical resource to serve as a roadmap for guiding lawmakers and all election stakeholders through priority areas in need of immediate attention.

“These amendments are strategic in their scope and ambitious in their vision, yet they are also rooted in practicality, responding to the realities of our current electoral system. We urge the National Assembly to strongly consider the proposals that we are presenting in this Citizens’ Memorandum on Electoral Reforms,” he said.

Another member of the coalition, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the Director of the International Press Centre (IPC) urged the National Assembly to ensure that they carried out extensive consultations across the country so that more citizens could participate and articulate their ideas for electoral reforms.

“It is also important that the National Assembly promptly concludes the process for the amendment of the legal framework for the conduct of the elections, as this will provide the opportunity to test the efficacy of the Act before the 2027 general elections,” he added.

READ ALSO:Tax Reform Bills: NASS adjourns plenary abruptly as NEC advises immediate withdrawal

The memorandum was received on behalf of the National Assembly by the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, Hon. Adebayo Balogun.

In his remarks, Balogun appreciated the coalition for putting together the memorandum and assured them that the National Assembly will be looking into the proposals.

“One thing that this Assembly is committed to is ensuring that we deliver an improved electoral legal framework that will guarantee elections that Nigerians can all be proud of. This is critical to rebuilding trust in our electoral system. We will be looking at all possible ideas that can help us achieve this,” he said.

The members of the coalition, which are the implementing partners of the European Union’s Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN), had compiled the memorandum based on input from a Citizens’ Town Hall on Electoral Reforms which was held in November 2023.

The memorandum is focused on three core pillars of the electoral legal framework for the conduct of elections: the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC Regulations and Guidelines for Elections. It contains 21 recommendations for constitutional amendments and 16 amendments for amending the Electoral Act.

These recommendations, according to the framers, cover all aspects of elections in Nigeria, including independence for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its unbundling, electoral offences, diaspora voting, and electoral technology.

The EU-SDGN cohort is made up of the following members: Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO); Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA); Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC); DAI Nigeria; ElectHER; International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, International IDEA; Institute for Media and Society (IMS); International Press Centre (IPC); Justice, Development and Peace Initiative (JDPI), Ado-Ekiti; Justice, Peace and Development Movement (JPDM), Oyo; Justice, Development and Peacemakers Centre (JDPMC) Osogbo; The Kukah Centre; the Nigerian Women’s Trust Fund (NWTF); the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC); SOS Children’s Village; TAF Africa and Yiaga Africa.