30 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), under the aegis of Citizens Memorandum for Electoral Reforms, has presented 37 draft electoral recommendations to the National Assembly.
The CSOs said the recommendations will help in the review of the 2022 amended electoral laws.
The group which made the orientation on Wednesday in Abuja also supported the position of Yiaga Africa, which said the Edo election lacked credibility, saying the results were fraught with alteration of figures.
The CSOs included; the Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO), Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Elect HER, International Press Centre (IPC), International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), and Justice, Development and Peace Makers Centre (JDPMC) Osogbo.
Others are: Justice Development and Peace Movement (JDPM) Oyo, Justice Development and Peace Initiative (JDPI) Ekiti, The Kukah Centre, Nigeria Women’s Trust Fund (NWTF), Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), SOS Children’s Villages (SOS), TAF Africa, and Yiaga Africa.
They said the proposals captured in the Memorandum was necessary considering the challenges in the country’s electoral system.
The CSOs said the proposals were based on experiences of citizens during the 2023 general elections.
They said, the memorandum focuses on three core pillars of the electoral legal framework for the conduct of elections: the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC Regulations and Guidelines for Elections.
“Our recommendations have been carefully divided into two parts: Part I offers twenty-one (21) recommendations for constitutional alterations.
“These proposals aim to strengthen the independence of INEC, improve the processes for electoral adjudication, and refine key constitutional provisions to ensure fairness, transparency, and inclusivity in our electoral process.
“Part II presents sixteen (16) proposals for amending the Electoral Act 2022. These proposals address the inadequacies, complexities, and ambiguities that have hindered the efficient application of the Act.
“Our aim is to reposition the electoral legal framework against the backdrop of recent landmark judicial decisions that offer pathways for reform and to make the Act more reflective of our evolving electoral needs.
“These electoral reforms are designed to restore integrity, enhance efficiency, and ensure inclusivity in Nigeria’s electoral process, paving the way for more credible, fair, and democratic elections that will strengthen the nation’s political institutions and democratic culture.
“We are confident that the adoption of these reforms will go a long way in rebuilding public trust in Nigeria’s electoral process, enhancing the efficiency of our elections, and ensuring that the outcomes of elections reflect the true will of the people.
“On behalf of all the Coalition of Civil Society Organizations, we express our deepest appreciation to the National Assembly, INEC, civil society organizations, political parties, and other key stakeholders for their continued commitment to electoral reform in Nigeria. We also extend our gratitude to the press for your role in bringing these conversations to the forefront of public discourse”.
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