INEC WANTS POWERS TO DISQUALIFY CANDIDATES

• Seeks 10 years’ ban on electoral offenders 
• Urges setting up of polls’ fraud panel
TO enhance the integrity of the nation’s electoral process, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, yesterday asked the National Assembly to amend the constitution to provide for 10 years’ ban for anybody convicted of polls’ malpractices.
Jega, who led other federal commissioners of INEC to the Senate joint committee on the review of the constitution at a one-day retreat, sought the amendment of the constitution to allow for the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission, noting that “experience has shown that INEC does not have the time, expertise, resources and the capacity to shoulder such responsibility in the face of conducting elections and managing post-electoral challenges.”
Jega also wanted the constitution amended to allow for full autonomy for INEC in the same way as the National Population Commission (NPC).
Jega wanted Sections 65, 66, 106, 107, 131, 137, 177 and 182 amended to enable INEC have the powers to disqualify candidates standing election subject to judicial review and not left to political parties.
Citing Section 158 of the constitution, Jega proposed that a new sub-section three be inserted to grant INEC autonomy for the purpose of providing additional protection to the commission.
He also wanted Sections 68 and 101 of the constitution amended to empower the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and Speakers of State Assembly to declare seats of members vacant.
According to him, though the constitution allows that election be conducted to fill vacant seats within 30 days, INEC does not get to know of vacancies in the legislature.
Jega proposed that Sections 76 and 116 be amended to include a sub-section that would allow for two periods in a year within which INEC can conduct bye-election to fill vacant seats.
He also suggested the amendment of Sections 76 (1), 116 (1), 132(1), 138(1) to allow INEC the freedom to fix the dates of election.
Jega proposed the amendment of Sections 77 (2) and 117 (2) to allow Nigerians in the Diaspora to vote during the 2015 general elections.
Senate President David Mark who opened the one-day retreat said “as 2015 draws nearer, our motivation remains that every valid vote cast during the election must count.
“The conduct of the election must not only be free and fair and credible and acceptable to Nigerians, but must also be acceptable to the international community.”
Source: Guardian