Former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi, has called for urgent reforms to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enhance the credibility of elections and strengthen Nigeria?s democracy.

He was represented by High Chief Peter Ameh, a political party management strategist and former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), during a panel session themed ?Building Viable Political Culture and Political Parties to Foster Competitive Politics? at the National Conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria held on Monday in Abuja.

Obi emphasized the need to unbundle INEC, arguing that the commission?s current responsibilities are overwhelming and hinder its effectiveness.

He pointed out that no electoral body in the world carries such extensive duties.

?INEC should focus solely on the conduct of elections to deliver free, fair, and credible processes. When weighed down with too many activities, it loses focus on its primary mandate,? Obi said.

He explained that the broad responsibilities assigned to INEC, such as political party registration and oversight of voter registers, dilute its capacity to conduct elections effectively.

?INEC has become overburdened with tasks that are not directly related to its core function. For example, overseeing political party activities, which should be a separate mandate, only distracts from its essential responsibility to run elections,? he stated.

Obi also advocated for the creation of a Political Party Registration and Oversight Commission to manage party affairs and enforce democratic principles within political parties.

He pointed out that INEC?s failure to ensure internal democracy within parties has led to the current state of political instability.

?A separate body is needed to oversee how parties conduct their activities and ensure they adhere to democratic principles. Political parties must be accountable, transparent, and operate with internal democracy,? he argued.

The former governor acknowledged that there have been several recommendations for reform, referencing the panels led by Justice Owe Panel, Justice Lemu, and Senator Nnamani.

He stated that these recommendations have underscored the need for INEC to focus on election management.

?INEC must be restructured to become a leaner, more effective body, focusing solely on organizing free, fair, and credible elections.

?The reforms proposed by these panels must be embraced if we are to have a system that works for every Nigerian.? Obi said.

Obi also discussed the constitutional amendments required to allow for more efficient elections, stressing that Nigeria?s electoral framework needs to be updated to accommodate a more modern, cohesive approach to voting.

?Currently, the constitution allows for staggered elections, which is inefficient and leads to voter fatigue. Sections 132(2), 174(2), 64(1), and 105(1) should be amended to allow for the conduct of all elections on a single day. This is crucial for reducing costs, increasing voter participation, and eliminating the political advantage that some parties gain by splitting the elections,? he explained.

He continued, ?If we conduct all the elections?presidential, National Assembly, governorship, and state assembly?on the same day, we can save over 50 percent in election costs, and the voter apathy that we experience will also diminish. It?s time to rethink our electoral process and make changes that will restore the people?s faith in the system.?

Obi emphasized that political reforms are needed not only to improve the functioning of INEC but also to ensure a more equitable and efficient political system in Nigeria.

?Our democracy cannot thrive if the election process is flawed. We must fix INEC to fix our democracy. This will allow for a credible, transparent electoral process that will lead to the better governance we need,? he concluded. (Vanguard)

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