The National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Peter Ameh, has said President Bola Tinubu would join the league of former presidents who regretted their decisions after leaving office, if he insists on appointing the next INEC Chairman.
In a televised interview monitored by our correspondent, Ameh emphasized that such a move would compromise the independence of the electoral body and deepen public distrust in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
He argued that successive presidents have failed to ensure INEC’s true autonomy, despite constitutional provisions mandating that its funding come directly from the consolidated revenue fund, as stated in Section 81(2) of the constitution.
Ameh explained that even the construction of INEC’s new headquarters was financed through presidential and FCT funding, a sign that the commission operates under executive influence rather than institutional independence.
The former National chairman of Inter Party Advisory Committee, IPAC recalled that the 2008 Electoral Reform Panel had recommended unbundling INEC and preventing the president from appointing its chairman to protect its neutrality.
He however, noted regrettably that these recommendations had not been implemented.
Ameh lamented that under Mahmood Yakubu’s leadership, political parties became more divided, with unprecedented internal crises weakening Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.
When asked whether President Tinubu will follow the recommendation that IPAC has made, which is that the president should not appoint the new INEC chairman, Ameh said, “I don’t think the current president will want to do it. I do not see him doing it.”
According to him “A lot of the presidents have missed that opportunity, and they are regretting it. And I also think he will join the league of those who regret after office.”
He pointed out ” The clear fact remains that we have the electoral reform panel of 2008 that gave guidelines for how INEC should operate and why INEC should be unbundled. INEC is overburdened with so much responsibility.”