Issued on Friday, 10th October 2025
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room notes the approval of the Council of State of the President’s nominee for a new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
This nomination comes at a crucial moment for Nigeria’s democracy, when public trust in the electoral institution is in urgent need of rebuilding and consolidation. Following the Council’s approval, the Senate will be expected to screen and make a confirmation in line with constitutional provisions.
The Situation Room reiterates that the process and outcome of appointing the INEC Chairman must meet the highest standards of credibility, transparency, and independence, as articulated in its Credibility Threshold for Elections in Nigeria. This threshold underscores that the leadership of INEC plays a pivotal role in ensuring the integrity of elections and therefore must inspire broad-based confidence among Nigerians.
The Situation Room calls attention to the following key considerations aligned with its Credibility Threshold and international best practices:
- Transparent and Consultative Process: The process of appointment should be open, consultative, and guided by merit, competence, and integrity rather than political or partisan considerations.
- Public Confidence and Legislative Oversight: The National Assembly’s confirmation process should be rigorous and transparent, allowing for public scrutiny and inputs from citizens and civil society. The Credibility Threshold further states that, the National Assembly will be expected to:
- Adopt a process of screening INEC nominees that will guarantee the neutrality and competence of the officials.
- Issue guidelines for submitting petitions against nominations of INEC officials to promote effective public participation.
- Thoroughly and satisfactorily consider and investigate petitions or complaints against nominees for positions in INEC.
- Subject nominees for positions in INEC to rigorous public scrutiny before confirming their nominations.
Nigeria’s democracy can only thrive when the institutions responsible for elections command the confidence of all stakeholders. The Situation Room will continue to monitor developments around this nomination and engage stakeholders to ensure that the confirmation process is upheld in line with the principles of democratic governance.
In the meantime, the Situation Room calls on President to make public the nominee’s credentials and professional record to enable citizens to understand the basis for the nomination as well as to make informed contributions on the basis of information available to the Senate’s confirmation process.
We also urge the Senate carry out a thorough screening process which will ensure a merit-based and transparent screening that upholds the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system including inviting opinions that would go as input for its determination of the suitability or otherwise of the nominee to the office of the Chairman of INEC.
SIGNED:
Yunusa Z. Ya’u
Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room
Mimidoo Achakpa
Co-Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room
Franklin Oloniju
Co-Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room
————————-
The Situation Room is made up of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) working in support of credible elections and governance in Nigeria numbering more than seventy. The Steering Committee is made up of: Action Aid Nigeria, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), CLEEN Foundation, Emma Ezeazu Centre for Good Governance and Accountability (formerly Alliance for Credible Elections, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Kimpact Development Initiative, Democratic Action Group (DAG), Women’s Rights to Education Programme, Joint National Association of Persons with Disability (JONAPWD), DIG Ebonyi, Life and Peace Development Organization (LAPDO), Rural Youth Initiative, Challenged Parenthood Initiative (CPI), Centre for Health and Development in Africa (CHEDA) and Josemaria Escriva Foundation.
————————-
Call/WhatsApp: 09032999919, 09095050505.
E-mail: situationroom@placng.org
Social Media
- Twitter/Instagram: @SituationRoomNg
- Facebook: Situation Room Nigeria
- Website: www.situationroomng.org