INEC Seeks Amendment To Candidates Imposition

Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute, Prof. Lai Olurode,
has said INEC is seriously pushing for an amendment to restrict imposition of
candidates on the commission by political parties.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, the chairman said
that INEC was seeking an amendment to the 2011 Electoral Act to stop parties
from fielding in elections, candidates who did not participate in primaries or
just any candidate without credibility.

Olorode, who is also INEC Commissioner, said it was so
unfortunate that INEC could not on its own reject any list submitted by political
parties.

“If the list of criminals, people with questionable
character are submitted by political parties as candidates to INEC, it has no
right under the constitution to reject such names.

“You cannot reject such names without an amendment to the
Electoral Act because section 87 of the Act says any aspirant, who is aggrieved
with the nomination process, may apply to the Federal High Court or the High
Court of a state for redress.’

He said it was unfortunate that such names were being
imposed on INEC and INEC could not reject such imposition.

Olorode said it had become imperative for the power to be
conferred on the commission with a view to enhancing its independence and
ability to conduct free and fair polls at all times with credible candidates.

The Commissioner said that was a big constraint to the
commission, but expressed the hope that that could be taken out of the
constitution under the review exercise.

Olorode said INEC was also seeking legal and constitutional
interventions for it to determine not just the order of elections but the
timing of elections.

He said the imposition of timing of elections on INEC by the
National Assembly or State governments had become a major challenge.

“He said as simple as deciding the order of elections is, it
is still a battle that INEC is struggling for it with the state governments.”

Olorode said INEC was now seeking for legal and
constitutional interventions to enable it not only determine the order of
elections but the timing of elections as well.

He stated that if the intervention came through it would
become so easy for INEC to decide the order of elections without any challenges
in securing the electoral process.

The Commissioner recalled that in the bid up to the 2011
elections the commission had to seek various constitutional amendments because
there were times when the voters register must be made public and the time of
elections.

He said haven gone through the electoral acts as the working
document of INEC, the Chairman, Attahiru Jega and his team had agreed to effect
some reforms ahead of the 2015 polls.

He said INEC was seriously pushing for amendment to the
constitution on various aspects with a view to enhancing its independence and
ability to conduct free and fair polls at all times.

Olorode said INEC would continue to enlarge its platform for
effective and credible elections.