Group seeks adoption of Obiorah’s INEC reform bill to end political control of elections

Fityanatul Islam Gabari, a faith-based and community development organisation in Kaduna state, has urged the federal government to adopt the proposed electoral reform bill sponsored by Ikechukwu Obiorah, a former senator.

Obiorah, who represented Anambra south between 2007 and 2011, recently proposed a constitutional amendment to strip the president of the power to appoint the chairman and commissioners for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He also proposed that state governors should be stripped of the power to appoint officials of the state electoral commission.

Speaking at a press briefing in Kaduna, Shehu Lawal, the president of the organisation, said the proposed bill would end political interference and manipulation in Nigeria’s elections, adding that political officeholders should no longer control the appointment of electoral officers.

While noting that “power must return to the people”, Lawal said Obiorah’s draft bill is a bold and progressive step towards restoring public trust in the electoral process and strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.

“On behalf of Fityanatul Islam Gabari, we formally express our endorsement and full support for Senator Ikechukwu Obiorah’s INEC Independence Bill,” he stated.

“We believe credible elections are impossible when those contesting positions also appoint those who will conduct the elections.”

The proposed legislation seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution to restructure the INEC.

Under the proposal, INEC would be composed of 13 commissioners—six elected by major professional and labour unions, six nominated by the United Nations (UN), and one observer commissioner from Transparency International.

Lawal said the model provides a transparent and accountable structure that would reduce political manipulation, enhance the use of technology in elections, and boost confidence in tools such as the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) and the INEC result viewing portal (IReV).

He noted that including international organisations such as the UN in the process should not be seen as foreign interference but as recognition of their consistent partnership with Nigeria in promoting governance, democracy, and development.

“We must acknowledge that dishonest elections are the root cause of poverty, corruption, and underdevelopment. This reform will help Nigeria build a democracy anchored on fairness, accountability, and the will of the people,” Lawal said.

The group called on the national assembly, state houses of assembly, and the presidency to fast-track the bill, describing it as a “turning point in Nigeria’s political evolution.”

The National Muslim Youth Association (NMYA) had also expressed support for Obiorah’s proposal.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on October 6, Abdulraham Aliyu, president of the association, said honest elections in Nigeria are impossible under the current arrangement where the executive arms at federal and state levels control the appointment of electoral bodies.