The National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has outlined measures he believes can help ensure free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Baba-Ahmed said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must be strengthened and protected from political interference in order to boost public trust in the electoral process.
The former Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on political matters called for a review of how the INEC Chairman, National Commissioners, and Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) are appointed, arguing that the current system gives the executive arm excessive control over the electoral body.
According to him, this undermines the perceived neutrality of the commission.
“The moment you hand over an electoral body to a partisan administration that wants to retain power, you create serious questions about its neutrality,” he said.
He also advocated for greater financial autonomy for INEC, insisting that the commission should be allowed to present and defend its budget directly before the National Assembly without interference from the executive arm.
Baba-Ahmed further urged the government to impose stricter penalties on politicians and individuals involved in electoral fraud and violence, stressing that accountability is key to improving the system.
He said the persistence of electoral malpractice is largely due to weak enforcement of existing laws.
“Politicians who compromise the electoral process must face the consequences of their actions. The culture of impunity must end,” he added.
