EU Calls For Merit-Based, Non-Partisan Appointment Of INEC Chairman
The credibility of Nigeria’s future elections, the European Union has warned, hinges on urgent reforms that place merit and neutrality at the heart of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Speaking in Abuja on Friday, Barry Andrews, Chief of Mission of the EU Election Observation Follow-up Mission, stressed that public confidence in the electoral process cannot be restored unless the appointment of the INEC Chairman is strictly merit-based and devoid of partisan interests.
He further pressed for a transparent and robust system that ensures the real-time publication of polling unit and collation results, enabling citizens to verify both paper and electronic records.
Andrews revealed that of the 23 recommendations submitted by the EU Observation Mission after the 2023 general elections, only one has been fully implemented.
Six priority areas remain critical: safeguarding INEC’s independence, guaranteeing transparent results transmission, tackling electoral offences, strengthening freedom of expression, clarifying legal provisions, and increasing women’s political participation.
He warned that if Nigeria fails to conclude these reforms in the coming months, the country risks a repeat of the shortcomings that plagued the 2023 elections.
While welcoming ongoing legislative and constitutional review processes, Andrews stressed that “time is rapidly running out.”
Echoing his remarks, the EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS clarified that the mission was not about dictating terms but about offering support and advice, working with parliament and civil society to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic framework.
