INEC Calls for Simplified Electoral Act to Enhance Voter Understanding
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has urged the Nigerian government to rewrite the nation’s electoral law in plain language, ensuring it is easily comprehensible to all citizens. The call was made by INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, during a citizens’ town hall meeting in Abuja on Sunday.
Amupitan emphasized that a complex Electoral Act undermines democratic participation. “What Nigeria needs is actually what I call simple legislation, a simple language legislation, whereby it will be possible for every Nigerian to understand and appreciate the provisions of every section,” he stated.
The recommendation follows the recent amendment to the Electoral Act and comes amid ongoing public debate over the provision for the real-time transmission of election results. Amupitan clarified that INEC’s initial position favored a mandated transmission system. However, he identified the primary challenge not as the law itself, but in defining “real-time” operation within Nigeria’s infrastructural realities.
He cited the recently concluded Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections as an example. While results from five area councils were transmitted promptly, the results from Kabi ward were delayed until the following day due to a lack of network coverage and inaccessible polling officers. “The problem is the adequacy of the network we have,” Amupitan explained. “You expect that in a place like FCT, you should be able to transmit your results without any encumbrance. But we had a situation where it was impossible for us to have a real-time transmission of results because of coverage.”
The INEC Chairman stressed that in a highly diverse society like Nigeria, with varied political and electoral landscapes, clarity in the law is paramount. His appeal is for legislation that eliminates ambiguity, preventing misinterpretation and fostering greater trust in the electoral process.
The push for a simplified act aims to bridge the gap between legal provisions and public perception, enabling voters to fully grasp their rights and the electoral procedures. This move is seen as critical for enhancing transparency and accountability in future elections, as the commission continues to navigate logistical hurdles like network limitations. The onus now lies with the legislature to consider INEC’s technical and practical insights in any further review of the electoral framework.
