A coalition of civil society organisations has sharply criticised the Senate’s confirmation process for the new chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing the screening as “perfunctory and rushed” and warning that the hasty approval deepens public distrust in the country’s electoral system.
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In a statement released Friday, the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room accused lawmakers of conducting inadequate scrutiny and failing to provide sufficient opportunity for stakeholders to review the nominee’s credentials before the confirmation vote.
“The Senate’s screening, which should have provided a meaningful platform to assess the nominee’s competence, integrity, and impartiality, was perfunctory and rushed,” the group said in a statement signed by its three conveners. “There was insufficient time for citizens, stakeholders, and even Senators themselves to obtain independent information about the nominee or engage constructively with the process.”
Pattern of Opacity in Key Appointments
The coalition characterised the confirmation as part of a “troubling pattern of opacity, limited consultation, and inadequate scrutiny in appointments to key democratic institutions.”
Yunusa Z. Ya’u, Mimidoo Achakpa, and Franklin Oloniju, who jointly convene the Situation Room, argued that the appointment of an INEC chairman carries profound implications for electoral credibility and public confidence—making it far more consequential than a routine administrative action.
“By failing to ensure transparency and robust public participation, the Senate has fallen short of its constitutional duty of oversight,” the statement said. “This hasty confirmation deepens public distrust and reinforces concerns that political expediency continues to override national interest in the selection of leadership for the country’s foremost electoral body.”
Calls for Reform
The civil society coalition called for systemic reforms to guarantee transparent, merit-based selection processes insulated from political interference for future electoral leadership appointments.
“The process of appointing and confirming the INEC Chairman must be open, consultative, merit-based, and insulated from political influence,” the group said, vowing to continue advocating for changes that would mandate transparency, public input, and genuine scrutiny in such selections.
The organisations pointed out that Nigeria’s electoral credibility depends not only on INEC’s conduct during elections but also on the integrity of processes that determine who leads the commission.
“Nigerians deserve an electoral commission whose leadership inspires confidence,” the statement concluded. “The credibility of future elections depends not only on the conduct of INEC but also on the integrity of the process that produces those who lead it.”
About the Situation Room
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room comprises more than 70 organisations working to support credible elections and governance across Nigeria. Its steering committee includes Action Aid Nigeria, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), CLEEN Foundation, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, and Women’s Rights to Education Programme, among others.
The coalition regularly monitors electoral processes and governance issues in Africa’s most populous nation, where concerns about election integrity and institutional independence have persisted across successive administrations.
The group did not name the newly confirmed INEC chairman in its statement, focusing instead on procedural criticisms of the Senate’s confirmation process.
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