Legal practitioners have
expressed support for the amendment of the constitution which created rooms for independent candidates in Nigeria’s elections.
The lawyers who spoke in separate interviews with newsmen in Auchi, Edo, said the move would remove influence of big “money and party level dictatorships” in Nigeria’s politics.
A lawyer, Mr Mahmmud Garuba, said that the constitution and the electoral law in Nigeria as they currently stood, required amendment to allow independent candidates.
Garuba said if room was given to independent candidacy, the idea of do-or-die among political parties would, to a very large extent, reduce.
“The idea of supporters of one party fighting one another to a very large extent would reduce.
In his contribution, Mr Davidson Alegbe said the notion, as a basis for electoral contest, was long overdue, adding that the process was workable if the electoral law was amended.
“‘We must get our electoral process right before we talk about the independent candidates.’’ he said.
“The process would give room for clean bill of health before such candidates were allowed to run for election,’’ he said.
Alegbe said that the provision would allow individuals to seek elective offices without being members of any political parties, adding that candidates would be voted for based on track record.
Mr Simon Mokidi said that allowing independent candidacy would advance the course of true democracy.
“The provision for independent candidacy, if allowed in all future elections in the country, will free the political space for more Nigerians who feel disenfranchised to participate in politics,” he said.