Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, has said that the INEC may seek legislation from the National Assembly to allow its employees to cast ballots while on duty on election days.
Yakubu argued that journalists and security personnel (such as police, soldiers, and others) should be allowed to vote in elections even if they are doing official duties at the time.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Yakubu addressed media representatives at a post-election review meeting on Wednesday in Lagos.
According to Yakubu, the commission may petition the National Assembly to change the law so that citizens of Nigeria who are disqualified from voting due to their occupations can participate in the electoral process.
For instance, many eligible Nigerians were denied the right to cast a ballot on election day because of restrictions imposed by state legislation.
Since most journalists working on election day were based in locations other than those at which they are registered, they were unable to cast ballots.
This is not just for reporters, but for all INEC employees, both permanent and temporary, as well as the police and other security personnel.
The INEC chairman explained that through such dialogue, the commission could determine which areas of law needed to be changed by approaching the National Assembly.
In his assessment of the upcoming general election in 2023, he insisted that the commission had done nothing improper.
Yakubu claimed that despite the difficulties, the 2023 elections had several benefits.
He conceded that the commission will work to improve the conduct of elections around the country notwithstanding difficulties encountered in the most recent round of voting.
“This is a chance for the heads of media outlets to share their observations with us so that we can continue to enhance the electoral process going forward.
There is nothing to hide on the part of the commission, and it is through dialogue like this that we can make the electoral process better in the future.
We acknowledge that the most recent election was not without its difficulties, but we also recognize that many good things have come out of it.
“While we should be careful not to touch on issues that are clearly sub judice,” he continued, “there are several elections litigations at the various elections tribunals nationwide.”
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