By Muhammad Mamman
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, has called on the National Assembly to urgently pass amendments to the country’s electoral legal framework.
Speaking in Abuja on Thursday while receiving the European Union (EU) Election Observation Follow-up Mission, Yakubu stressed that early passage of the amendments was vital for proper planning ahead of the next general election.
“Uncertainty over the legal framework for the election can unsettle the commission’s work as the polls draw closer,” he warned.
Yakubu noted that INEC had already acted on recommendations from the EU Election Observation Mission (EOM) report on the 2023 general election, including measures requiring only administrative action. He added that other reforms requiring legislative intervention were pending before the National Assembly.
He recalled that the EU EOM 2023 report made 23 recommendations, eight of which directly concerned INEC. “The commission has carefully considered all the eight recommendations addressed to us, and action has been taken on those within our mandate,” he said.
Yakubu assured the EU team, led by Barry Andrews, that INEC would continue to engage with both local and international observers, noting that their input had contributed to improving Nigeria’s elections.
In response, Andrews welcomed the progress made, while acknowledging the challenges of constitutional and judicial reforms. He said the mission was keen to assess steps taken to improve transparency in result publication and other key areas.
