NAN
aCivil Society Organisation, Big Tent Shadow Cabinet, has called for electoral reform and constitutional amendments to address key governance and common good issues in the country.
The Convener of Big Tent Shadow Cabinet, Prof. Pat Utomi, made the call in a statement issued to journalists on Wednesday in Abuja.
The statement signed by the organisation’s director of media and communications, Charles Odibo, emphasised the urgency of addressing Nigeria’s governance failures and pursuing reforms that serve the common good.
According to him, Utomi said the organisation recognises that constitutional amendments matter significantly because they offer the opportunity to address the country’s numerous challenges and strengthen its democracy.
Utomi said that constitutional amendments could help restructure the country, promote more regional autonomy and address sentiments of marginalisation, inequality and exclusion.
He said that the amendments could address the unresolved issue of local government autonomy, which still hinders the effective administration of that tier.
“The nation’s electoral law reforms matter now because they can significantly impact the country’s democratic growth, stability, and integrity of elections by addressing ambiguities and loopholes.
“Notably, the 2022 Electoral Act has ambiguities and loopholes that were exposed during the 2023 general elections, such as uncertainty regarding the stage for comparing physical copies of results and electronically transmitted results.
“Reforming these laws can help prevent electoral disputes and ensure clarity in the electoral process.
“We are committed to promoting transparency, accountability and inclusivity in our electoral processes,” Utomi said.
He said that the organisation proposed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) be made autonomous.
“We advocate for INEC’s independence, ensuring its autonomy and impartiality in conducting elections.
“We support adopting electronic voting systems to enhance transparency, reduce electoral malpractices and increase efficiency.
“We recommend a continuous voter registration process, ensuring all eligible citizens can exercise their voting rights,” he said.
Utomi added that expanding voter identification could improve the electoral process. It could include using driver’s licenses, international passports, national identity cards, or electronically downloadable voter’s cards.
He also advocated constitutional amendments favouring state police, which would enable states to have more control over their security and law enforcement.
“We advocate local government autonomy based on a constitutional amendment, not the ambiguous Supreme Court judgement that state governors are flouting.
“We propose constitutional amendments to ensure greater representation and inclusivity, including provisions for women, youth and persons with disabilities.
“We recommend reforms to the judiciary, including measures to enhance its independence, accountability and effectiveness.
“To give teeth to our recommendations, we commit to holding stakeholders’ engagement with various groups, including civil society organisations, traditional leaders and citizens, to build consensus.”
Utomi further said that the group would conduct public education campaigns to raise awareness about the importance of electoral reforms and constitutional amendments.