A civil society organisation, Citizens’ Solution Network, has called for the establishment of an independent Commission of Inquiry to investigate recent voting procedures in Nigeria’s National Assembly amid growing public scepticism about the process.
In a press statement released Saturday morning, the group expressed concerns about the identities of individuals who participated in a controversial voice vote in both chambers of parliament.
“Millions of Nigerians across the country have contacted our agents in various cities and towns sharing their doubts,” the statement reads, questioning whether those who participated in the voice voting were “actually current serving senators and house of representative members or if they were just faceless persons” brought in to support certain outcomes.
The proposed commission would comprise civil rights activists, journalists, constitutional lawyers, student leaders, trade unionists, and forensic scientists, according to Country Director Richard Inoyo.
Beyond investigating the identities of voting participants, the commission would examine potential instances of bribery before, during, and after the voice vote, and determine whether the procedure violated Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.
The group also raised questions about President Bola Tinubu’s declaration and implementation of a state of emergency in Rivers State, including the deployment of troops toward the Rivers State Government House and the swearing-in of a sole administrator, Ibokete Ibas, in Abuja. The commission would investigate whether these actions were constitutional, particularly as they reportedly occurred before parliamentary approval.
“The outcomes of the Commission of Inquiry shall have far-reaching consequences on the nation and the polity of future actions as well as citizens’ mobilisation,” the statement added.
Citizens’ Solution Network has invited nominations from various sectors for the commission’s formation, stating that it is “a strictly citizens’ initiative with no connection whatsoever to government.”
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