Nigeria’s electoral legislation has to be changed, according to Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to Naija News, Professor Yakubu made this statement during the Commission’s two-day retreat with members of the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters in Abuja on Monday.
Yakubu underlined in his introductory remarks the urgent necessity for ongoing electoral law reform.
He said that through legislative review and exchanged field experiences, the current retreat, which brought together Commission members, parliamentarians, electoral stakeholders, and development partners, offers a “unique opportunity” to improve Nigeria’s election process.
He recalled a similar retreat in March 2020, when the Electoral Act 2022 was repealed and re-enacted.
According to Professor Yakubu, this collaboration was the first time that stakeholders, INEC, and lawmakers worked together to solve important facets of election legislation, such as judicial compliance, technology advancements, and observer recommendations.
The INEC Chairman outlined ongoing challenges requiring legislative attention to include: “Strengthening legal backing for INEC’s innovations, such as electronic voting systems; Clarifying ambiguities in electoral laws to minimize pre- and post-election disputes; and Incorporating recommendations from past reform committees, including the Uwais (2009), Lemu (2011), and Nnamani (2017) reports.”
He further stressed that “retreats offer deeper engagement than standard committee hearings, enabling lawmakers to gain first-hand insights into election management challenges“.
He acknowledged the support of development partners in advancing Nigeria’s electoral integrity.
He added that the goal of the retreat is to fortify Nigeria’s electoral framework ahead of future polls.
He assured INEC would share field experiences with lawmakers to guide further amendments to the Constitution and Electoral Act.
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