INEC: Electoral Forum advocates punishment for political parties that engage in double nominations

Election Advocacy group, the Electoral Forum has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to enforce the prosecution of political parties who engage in double nomination of candidates.

This was one of recommendations made by the group at its policy dialogue on the nomination, withdrawal, and substitution of candidates held as part of its advocacy towards promoting electoral knowledge, accountability, and integrity on Thursday 18 August 2022.

The policy dialogue featured a panel session that discussed extensively the issues arising from the nomination, withdrawal, and substitution of candidates, and the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Panelists at the forum seeking significant electoral reforms included Professor Irene Pogoson, Professor Sam Amadi, Mma Odi, and Barrister Victor Opatola. Other participants included members of the civil society, academics, and policy makers.

The Forum is chaired by Professor Adebayor Olukoshi.

In a communique made available to The Editorial, the advocacy group outlined the objectives of the dialogue as follows:

1. Unpack the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022

2. Deepen knowledge and provide public enlightenment on the Electoral Act, and

3. Provide strategic recommendations on the issues of nomination, withdrawal, and substitution of candidates ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The Forum also observed that the controversies ravaging the electoral process are a result of the lack of proper understanding of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 on the part of critical stakeholders such as politicians and political parties.

It reads in part. “The manifest lack of ideologies on the part of political parties has brought about major setbacks in the electoral process.

“The Electoral Act 2022 is very clear on the issue of nomination, withdrawal, and substitution of candidates.

“Administrative lumps in Nigeria have contributed to confusion on the part of the Commission in carrying out responsibilities conferred on it by the law.

“The question of who takes the decision on whether a primary, congress, or convention is invalid needs to be quickly addressed.

“The non-submission of membership register by political parties means that party primaries can be challenged successfully by virtue of the fact that the Electoral Act provides that every political party shall provide the list of members

“As long as the rules are there on how party primaries, conventions, and meetings should be monitored, INEC should stick to the rules.

“The lack of proper sensitisation on the provisions of the new Electoral Act is the genesis of controversies ravaging the electoral process.”

Consequently, the Forum recommended that INEC enforce the prosecution of double nomination violators and to publish reports from monitored primaries.

It also called for adequate enlightenment and education of the stakeholders on the provisions of the Act.

It posited that there is need for political parties to be strengthened and INEC to act as a strong regulator by making decisions within the confines of the existing legal frameworks.

The group called on INEC to enforce internal standards, ethics, and discipline, particularly in regard to administrative staff that might compromise the integrity of the Commission.

It added that INEC should be proactively open and transparent in its affairs regarding the disclosure of reports that emanate from its field observation activities.

“INEC should standardize its findings and if possible, transmit them digitally on the Commission’s portal to enhance the credibility of the Commission and eliminate bias on the part of field observers.

“INEC should produce a proper proceeding based on the law and evidence from properly monitored field reports and publish public hearings with established facts.

“There should be a free and formal mode of making decisions by INEC.

“INEC should develop a much richer, much more controlling rulemaking process that tells everybody how the Commission resolves challenges,” it said.