Policy analyst Professor Anthony Kila has advised political stakeholders to concentrate on reforming Nigeria’s electoral mechanisms instead of fixating on calls for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman's removal.
In an interview with ARISE News on Monday, Kila characterised the ongoing debate surrounding the INEC Chairman as regrettable, particularly noting its occurrence so close to significant electoral timelines.
"It's a very unfortunate situation for the country to find ourselves in such a situation… barely a year to election time," he commented.
Kila acknowledged that opposition parties, including the ADC, have valid grounds for concern if they believe the electoral body lacks impartiality.
"If they truly feel that the umpire is not independent… then of course they want to ask for his resignation," he stated.
However, he maintained that substituting the current chairman without rectifying fundamental issues within the system would not resolve the core problem.
"I’m very worried that if the system remains the same and they bring in a new INEC Chairman, there’s nothing stopping that person from doing the same thing," he explained.
Kila highlighted the nation's need for an electoral process that is transparent, inclusive, and robustly structured to foster confidence among all involved parties.
"I think what parties need to ask for is a process that is transparent, that is inclusive," he added.
Regarding accusations that the INEC Chairman was associated with a controversial social media account, Kila indicated that the matter hinges on credibility and truthfulness.
"It’s either somebody’s mistaken or someone’s lying," he said.
He further noted that if it is proven that the Chairman falsely denied owning an account that belongs to him, it would represent a significant violation of public trust.
"If it turns out… he’s lying about having an account, that’s a very grave thing," Kila remarked.
He suggested that such an occurrence would warrant his removal, rather than just resignation, given the paramount importance of integrity for an electoral umpire.
"That is enough reason to remove him, not even to resign," he concluded.
Kila also pointed to aspects of the Chairman’s decision-making, such as insufficient consultation, poor communication, and inconsistent policy enactments, as factors contributing to suspicion and distrust.
"There was not enough consideration, consultation, and enough communication," he stated.
He advised that future electoral determinations should involve wider engagement with political parties to mitigate tension and build consensus.
"If he had carried along the parties… that kind of process would be less acrimonious," he elaborated.
Kila concluded by urging the INEC Chairman to either vindicate himself or assume responsibility, while also imploring the government to refrain from interfering in electoral matters and permit the commission to operate with autonomy.
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