The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Bola Tinubu to ensure transparency in the appointment of the next chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a letter dated September 27 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP asked the president to disclose the list of shortlisted candidates and make public whether the constitutionally required consultation with the Council of State has taken place.
The watchdog also called on Tinubu to revisit the appointment of Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs), some of whom, it alleged, have links with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). According to SERAP, only non-partisan individuals should be entrusted with such sensitive electoral roles.
Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the current INEC chairman, will complete his second term in November 2025, creating a vacancy at the helm of Nigeria’s electoral body ahead of the 2027 elections.
SERAP warned that failure to adopt an open and transparent process could lead to a loss of public confidence in the commission and in future elections. It gave the presidency seven days to act, threatening to pursue legal action in the public interest if its demands are ignored.
“The credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process rests heavily on the independence and impartiality of INEC,” the group stated, stressing that Nigerians deserve full disclosure on how the next chair will be chosen.
