Former President Goodluck Jonathan has called for a new process to appoint the next chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), proposing an independent screening and nomination mechanism to strengthen the commission’s credibility ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Jonathan, represented by Ms Ann Iyonu, Executive Director of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, made the call on Wednesday in Abuja at the public presentation of the National Action Plan for Electoral Reforms, organised by the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought.
The intervention comes at a sensitive political moment, as the tenure of the current INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, is due to expire around October this year. Yakubu, who oversaw the contentious 2019 and 2023 polls, has served two terms, and the choice of his successor is already generating quiet speculation. With President Bola Tinubu expected to seek reelection in 2027, analysts say whoever emerges as the next INEC chair will play a decisive role in shaping the credibility of that contest.
With this background, Jonathan, who has also been in the news recently amid speculation that he may be eyeing a political comeback in the 2027 presidential election, stressed that public trust in elections rests largely on the impartiality and competence of the electoral umpire. He noted that the current practice, where the president directly nominates the INEC chairman, has continued to fuel questions about neutrality.
“So many questions have continued to be raised on the propriety of the process of appointing the INEC chairman,” Jonathan said.
“I believe that Nigeria can improve the process by establishing an independent screening and nomination mechanism, comprising representatives from the judiciary, civil society, academia and professional bodies. This body would vet and recommend a shortlist of qualified candidates from which the president may appoint the chairman. Such reform will reduce perceptions of bias, promote public trust in INEC and enhance the legitimacy of its decisions.”
Under the 1999 Constitution, the president nominates the INEC chairman after consultation with the National Council of State (NCS), and the nominee must then be confirmed by the Senate. While the Council’s advisory role is not binding, in practice, presidents present their preferred candidate to the Council before forwarding a formal nomination to the upper chamber of the National Assembly for screening and confirmation.
As such, Jonathan’s position is believed to be informed by experience. In June 2010, he nominated Prof. Attahiru Jega to succeed Prof. Maurice Iwu, who oversaw the contentious 2007 general elections. Jega conducted the 2011 general elections and also oversaw the 2015 polls, the first in which an incumbent Nigerian president, Jonathan himself, lost and peacefully handed over power.
That history, he suggested, underscores both the weight of the office and the importance of a selection process that commands broad confidence.
The former president argued that Nigeria, like many other countries, must be bold enough to reform its democratic institutions to reflect the will of the people and the principles of justice, accountability and inclusion.
Beyond the appointment of the electoral umpire, Jonathan also revived his earlier proposal for the establishment of an independent office of the Registrar of Political Parties to address what he described as the “growing crisis of political party indiscipline”.
According to him, political parties, which should serve as the bedrock of democracy, have become vulnerable to opportunism and instability. He cited the “disturbing rise” in cross-carpeting by elected officials who defect from the platforms on which they were elected, often without ideological justification.
“To remedy this, we should strongly consider the establishment of an independent office of the registrar of political parties, charged with regulating party operations, promoting internal democracy and enforcing party discipline,” he said.
“Crucially, the office should have the power to declare the seat of any defector vacant. This would affirm the principle that the electoral mandate belongs to the people and not to individual ambition,” he added.
Jonathan, who has served as an election observer in several African countries since leaving office in 2015, said he had seen the registrar system work effectively in places such as Kenya and Malawi.
He also urged reforms to ensure that all post-election litigations, especially those relating to final outcomes, are concluded before winners are sworn into office. The present system, where governors and lawmakers assume office with unresolved petitions, only to be unseated later by the courts, he said, creates confusion and undermines governance.
“We must adopt a framework that compels the timely resolution of electoral disputes, possibly with specially designated election tribunals and timelines that align with the electoral calendar. Justice delayed in elections is justice denied, not just for the candidates, but for the electorate,” Jonathan said.
Jonathan urged political leaders and citizens alike to embrace patriotism and courage in strengthening Nigeria’s democracy.
“Let us confront our democratic weaknesses with honesty and reform our system with courage,” he said. “Let us continue to work together to build a Nigeria where elections are credible, leaders are accountable, and democracy truly delivers for the people.”
(Daily Trust)
