Group alleges violation of federal character in appointment of INEC Commissioner

A Civil Society Organisation, Peering Advocacy and Advancement Center in Africa, PAACA has petitioned President Bola Tinubu over an alleged violation of the Federal Character Principle in the recent appointment of National Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Its Executive Director, Ezenwa Nwagwu, in a letter addressed to the President, said the North-West geopolitical zone is currently represented by two National Commissioners in persons of Prof. Abdullahi Zuru from Kebbi State and Prof. Muhammed Kallah from Katsina State.

He stressed that the recent appointment of Abdulrazak Tukur, from Katsina State as a National Commissioner adds a third representative from the North West zone.

Tukur’s appointment, Ezenwa insisted, constituted a clear violation of the Principle of Federal Character, which mandates balanced representation of Nigeria’s diverse geopolitical zones.

Nwangwu was of the opinion that adding a third National Commissioner from the same region breaks the longstanding practice of equal representation in INEC appointments across the six geopolitical zones and undermines public trust in a balanced and impartial electoral body.

He explained that since its inception, INEC has followed a structure in which each geopolitical zone is represented by two national commissioners, noting that the recent decision to appoint a third National Commissioner from the North West, while leaving the South East with only one representative since July 2023 breaks the established balance and sets a concerning precedent.

Nwangwu added that such actions suggest a regional imbalance that could impact the Commission’s ability to conduct elections credibly, especially as the country approaches the 2027 general elections.

He noted: “Your Excellency, there is no public information indicating that Professor Muhammed Sani Kallah from Katsina, has resigned as a National Commissioner, or that a vacancy exists in this position. This raises questions about the need for appointing a third representative from the North West, particularly from the same state.

“It is important to respectfully draw your attention that it has now been one year and four months since Festus Okoye, the former National Commissioner representing the South East, completed his first tenure in July 2023. Despite the South East’s vacancy remaining unfilled, this recent appointment rushed to fill the North West’s vacancy instead, thus elevating the representation of one region above others,”

Nwagwu, therefore, called on the President to prioritise filling the South East’s long-standing vacancy with a qualified National Commissioner from that region, restoring the balanced representation in INEC.

He pointed out that the delay in filling the South East vacancy and the rush to add a third representative to the North West raises significant questions about the fairness and impartiality of INEC’s composition.

He stated: “It is our humble opinion that for INEC to fulfill its mandate effectively, it must embody impartiality and reflect the balanced representation of Nigeria’s diverse geopolitical regions. The current overrepresentation of the North West and the underrepresentation of the South East undermines the public’s confidence in the Commission’s ability to conduct free and fair elections.

“As Nigeria prepares for the 2027 elections, these imbalances create significant credibility concerns that could undermine trust in the electoral process and INEC’s role as an unbiased institution.”