Civil society organisation Yiaga Africa has urged that Nigeria’s next chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must be a person of unquestionable character, free from political ties, and bold enough to uphold the law without fear or favour.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, stressed that electoral reforms achieved in recent years had been overshadowed by persistent irregularities and fraud.
According to him, the choice of successor to the current INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, will be pivotal in restoring public trust in the electoral process.
“There’s a great need that the next INEC chairman or national commissioners should be individuals that not only have impeccable character but do not have any partisan connection whatsoever,” Itodo said.
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He added that such persons should never have been members of a political party, either in the past or present, insisting that integrity and independence are non-negotiable qualities for the role.
“The next INEC chairman or commissioners must have courage and the ability to resist political pressure. They must be ready to do the lawful thing, regardless of whose interest is affected,” he emphasized.
Yiaga Africa’s call comes amid growing public debate over electoral credibility ahead of future polls, with stakeholders insisting that leadership at INEC will play a decisive role in shaping the country’s democratic trajectory.