Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria’s immediate past president, Thursday, canvassed for an immediate change in the process of appointment of the head and members of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with the National Assembly taking responsibility for that.
This he said, would eliminate the issue of credibility challenge that has trailed recent elections conducted by the commission.
According to him, “if the process of appointing the key members of the election management body is institutionalised it would inspire confidence among all stakeholders. One way this can be achieved is for the relevant arm of the National Assembly to study the different modes of recruiting electoral management body in other countries
The former president stated this at the launch and public presentation of a 669-page book, titled: “The Dream: Pursuing the Black Renaissance through the Murky Waters of Nigerian Politics,” written by notable politician chieftain, Senator Femi Okunrounmu.
The event took place at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Akoka, with the publisher of Nigerian Tribune Newspapers, Adetokunbo Awolowo- Dosumu as the reviewer.
Jonathan who conceded defeat in the 2015 presidential election and handed over power to incumbent Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling All progressive Congress (APC), noted that the appointment of the head and members of the electoral body had become so important that it could not be left in the hand of a single individual.
“This would guide toward establishing a functional template that would secure independence for the Independent National Electoral Commission to meet the expectation of the people,” Jonathan said.
Speaking further, Jonathan, who was the chairman of the occasion, raised the alarm about the widening problems facing the country, warning that it was time to set aside political differences and commence the implementation of the 2014 national constitutional conference report.
“The constitutional conference solved our immediate challenges. My administration was prepared to change the narrative of our constitutional democracy with the assurance that sovereignty belongs to the people.
“However, we were time-constrained. The conference was conducted one year to the end of my tenure. We did not have the time, even the National Assembly which is supposed to validate the report was busy with political survival.”
“I did not insist on a rushed implementation because my administration did not set out to achieve political popularity but to genuinely advance the course of nation building,” Jonathan added.
In his speech at the event, the book’s author, Femi Okuroumu, canvassed for an urgent return to true federalism, stressing that the country had stagnated with the current structure.
“Without restructuring back to federalism, I have no hesitation in declaring that Nigeria’s development will continue on a downward path, and the state of social disharmony and insecurity will continue to heighten”, Okurounmu said.
Leader of pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Ayo Adebanjo, equally identified restructuring of the country as the solution to the current problems.
The book launch was attended by prominent individuals including: Anthony Adefuye, who was the Chief Launcher; lawyer, Wale Babalakin; businessman Harry Akande; Afenifere leader, Ayo Adebanjo; former Ogun State governor, Gbenga Daniel, and former group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Funsho Kupolokun, among several other notable individuals and politicians.
Iniobong Iwok
