Is INEC Really Independent In Nigeria?

[God Tim]

Well well for clear understanding for such people are not yet shown the way of INEC and for election ideas. In a good way a good response  for democracy any time to add up many people still not yet believe that election is not good its weakness to control in the system way of it during the way. What Nigeria is still not getting is the lack of transparency, account and the truth election also as the confidence in the results.

[Alonso_]

How do you think that INEC is going to be independent when the INEC Chairman is appointed by the sitting President, I think that is something that Nigeria is getting wrong, I don’t really know how the Nigerian Constitution actually works, but I’m more concerned about the fact that INEC body should be more like a private entity and private appointment, the way that judiciary is under the Presidency, and the Presidency still appoints the Chief Judge of the Country.

This are things that Nigerian is absolutely getting wrong and that is absolutely wrong, Nigeria isn’t going anywhere until things have been changed, so many things needs to change in Nigeria.

[gracreavix]

INEC was an independent body but not anymore. After the government bought them in the last election when they said the results of the election when everyone was still sleeping. As of now, the people have lost complete trust in INEC, that I won't blame them. What the citizens witnessed is enough to lose that trust.

This just shows that INEC is independent on paper and not truly an independent body. For the most part, they are not being hold accountable for any wrong doings. Even the government sef are above the law. The body just lack transparency and that supposed to be the core backbone of the body INEC.

[Berry2d]

INEC was an independent body but not anymore. After the government bought them in the last election when they said the results of the election when everyone was still sleeping. As of now, the people have lost complete trust in INEC, that I won't blame them. What the citizens witnessed is enough to lose that trust.

This just shows that INEC is independent on paper and not truly an independent body. For the most part, they are not being hold accountable for any wrong doings. Even the government sef are above the law. The body just lack transparency and that supposed to be the core backbone of the body INEC.

Since the existence of Nigeria INEC have never operated in a neutral ground and saying they stopped being independent in the last concluded election is a complete lie because I have never seen Nigeria INEC make any fair judgement in Nigeria elections.
If you say this manipulations started in the last concluded election, what can you say happened when Muhammad Buhari won goodluck Jonathan, then it was very difficult for the INEC chairman to announce the winner because even him was confused on the level of manipulation that happened in that years election result.

[Halifat]

INEC was an independent body but not anymore. After the government bought them in the last election when they said the results of the election when everyone was still sleeping. As of now, the people have lost complete trust in INEC, that I won't blame them. What the citizens witnessed is enough to lose that trust.

This just shows that INEC is independent on paper and not truly an independent body. For the most part, they are not being hold accountable for any wrong doings. Even the government sef are above the law. The body just lack transparency and that supposed to be the core backbone of the body INEC.

I like how you address this issue, by using the word was for INEC, because that is the FACT. For a very long time now we masses softly in the hands of our politician just because INEC could not be able to protect us, they are actually the reason why we continue to suffer in the hands of this bad politicians because if not for them by now Nigeria will be a very great country but despite this we still have hope that one day Nigeria will walk again. I don't really know how this 2027 will be but already I found it very easy to predict the results with the way inec are going this time around but let get there before we throw a final conclusion.

[EarnOnVictor]

The INEC body is no longer independent, and are being ordered about by Nigeria politicians instead of standing on their ground as an independent body.

Is there a time that INEC was independent?

If the "Independent" in their name is deceiving anyone, such a person should wake up immediately, as INEC wasn't and never will be independent, unless they are truly autonomous, and their leaders' selections must be independent of the Nigerian president.

[Salahmu]

How do you think that INEC is going to be independent when the INEC Chairman is appointed by the sitting President, I think that is something that Nigeria is getting wrong, I don’t really know how the Nigerian Constitution actually works, but I’m more concerned about the fact that INEC body should be more like a private entity and private appointment, the way that judiciary is under the Presidency, and the Presidency still appoints the Chief Judge of the Country.

This are things that Nigerian is absolutely getting wrong and that is absolutely wrong, Nigeria isn’t going anywhere until things have been changed, so many things needs to change in Nigeria.

It was either ignorant or international that our constitution was written that only president will bring who will be called an INEC chairman because since the chairman is someone free from politics, they should have also eradicated any political person to do the appointment because anything in this country that one person is a politician to execute something that will have power in the country a personal and party interest will definitely surfaced, so actually the learning and comprehension of future rising issues has been what our decisions leaders had started lacking from the beginning that is why they gave lawful right to something that shouldn't be so.

[Cleanshit]

Omo if Nigerian can stand up and fit for a standard transparent election for INEC to be better, the country is going to be a better place for us all. See I do use to wonder that can't their be a rule that any president or leader that is not functioning well should step down, with this Nigeria is going to be a better place that no one will want to miss use a high post being given to him or her. Let there be law enforcement that will be assign for this and should be transparent for everyone to see

[Qhunman]

Omo if Nigerian can stand up and fit for a standard transparent election for INEC to be better, the country is going to be a better place for us all. See I do use to wonder that can't their be a rule that any president or leader that is not functioning well should step down, with this Nigeria is going to be a better place that no one will want to miss use a high post being given to him or her. Let there be law enforcement that will be assign for this and should be transparent for everyone to see

There should be a law in our constitution that says the president must step down voluntarily but if doesn't want to step down on his own then he will be impeached. Moreover even if such law  exist in our constitution You and I know that the president might still not be impeached  because the president strong loyalists and worshipers that are in the national assembly will fight against it . If the national assembly will honour their oath of office I believed Nigeria will be a better place.

[Mr Reporter]

There should be a law in our constitution that says the president must step down voluntarily but if doesn't want to step down on his own then he will be impeached. Moreover even if such law  exist in our constitution You and I know that the president might still not be impeached  because the president strong loyalists and worshipers that are in the national assembly will fight against it . If the national assembly will honour their oath of office I believed Nigeria will be a better place.

In this administration have come to understand something not that there are no laws for all these issues…but the truth is that power is too sweet for them to step down nobody would be in the PRESIDENT's shoes who would want to step down, and the painful truth is that the country is burning down day by day, and with only a matter of time before this country tash to hell...no be say constitution no dey ground but them no wan hear that part self…imagine law makers no wan follow the law they establish.

And another things i understand well for this administration nah Wetin we call Party loyalists, do you know that most Senators and Reps dey same party with the President? And they are afraid of losing their job, contracts, and appointments dey depend on am so dearly. So dem go fight so hard to protect am even if things are bad in the country, so the truth be say nobody wan ready to sacrifice himself for the betterment of the country, and with such mindset we still get alot of things to lose for this promising country…how bad thing turned out for us in this country.

[Mayor of ogba]

There should be a law in our constitution that says the president must step down voluntarily but if doesn't want to step down on his own then he will be impeached. Moreover even if such law  exist in our constitution You and I know that the president might still not be impeached  because the president strong loyalists and worshipers that are in the national assembly will fight against it . If the national assembly will honour their oath of office I believed Nigeria will be a better place.

Even though such a law is implemented into The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 it won't work, because if a president fails to step down voluntarily he can't be impeached by the national assembly because he will bribe his way to remain as the president until his durations are over. Since INEC chairman is responsible in rigging election and help corrupt and bad leaders to continue ruling us, I think a law that will prevent a seating president from appointing an INEC chairman should be implemented so that the seating president can't influence the INEC chairman to rig election in his favor, this is my opinion on how Nigeria should be great again.

[Comeacross]

I am not surprised by INEC being independent because the country is corrupt and the corruption itself start from the INEC because they all look like hungry people don’t know what they are doing, it is not today that we all know how corrupt INEC is and how they rigged elections to favour the party that bribe them with big money, I have said it many of my posts that it will be very difficult for us the citizens to decide who will be our president because even if we vote and the person we vote win the election INEC will do everything to change it because they have the power to do so.

One of the Nigeria problems is INEC and they are also the enemy of Nigeria because if they do their job well without any injustice Nigeria will be better now, I do not pray for anyone family to suffer but how i wish the kidnappers are only targeted the rich people so that they can taste what the poor people are facing in the country, if the rich people are the once facing all these problems in Nigeria I believe they will have solve the problem and do everything to make sure the country have a good leader.

How do we really expect INEC to be independent? Have we forgotten that INEC is answerable and loyal to the presidency? The executive is in full control of INEC activities including the appointment of the INEC chairman and funding. The power to appoint the commission's chairman vested on the president is where the problem begins. Ethically, every employer is loyal to their employee and you should not expect INEC to play a different tone. The moment they sense you're not playing to their tone, you risk losing your job and I bet you're not ready for that if you should be in that condition too. For us to get things right in this country, a lot of things need to be changed.

[JoyceBTC]

Omo if Nigerian can stand up and fit for a standard transparent election for INEC to be better, the country is going to be a better place for us all. See I do use to wonder that can't their be a rule that any president or leader that is not functioning well should step down, with this Nigeria is going to be a better place that no one will want to miss use a high post being given to him or her. Let there be law enforcement that will be assign for this and should be transparent for everyone to see

There should be a law in our constitution that says the president must step down voluntarily but if doesn't want to step down on his own then he will be impeached. Moreover even if such law  exist in our constitution You and I know that the president might still not be impeached  because the president strong loyalists and worshipers that are in the national assembly will fight against it . If the national assembly will honour their oath of office I believed Nigeria will be a better place.

This is just trying to tell you how corrupt the system is. The government controls everything that happens, even the laws and even if that law comes to place, the corrupt leaders can still go against it without anybody stopping them. Laws are made in the country but easily broken or not obeyed by people who are in power without any consequences.

[New Judgement]

The INEC can never be independent, it has never been completely independent from inception. The only way that the INEC as a body can be independent is if the constitution can be amended, and the president of the country is never allowed to nominate who will be the INEC chairman. Provided the president continue to appoint who will be the INEC chairman, the body will always compromise to the will of the president that brought him or her to the office.

[Hardyrobust]

 INEC is not an independent body as it is supposed to be because of so many reasons especially the aspect in which the president is in power or charge of  appointing who the next inec chairman will be. So in such a situation the president will always appoint someone that will be loyal to him. So for this , I think INEC isn't an independent body but can easily be manipulated by politicians in other to achieve there goals.
INEC is supposed to choose it's own chairman either by the numbers of years that they have been in services and not just by mere appointments by the president.

[Spaceman1000$]

I am motivated to ask this question because of what have been going on in Nigeria election, and in the electoral body. The INEC body is no longer independent, and are being ordered about by Nigeria politicians instead of standing on their ground as an independent body. Their is no longer trust in the INEC body as they dance to the toon of politicians who square them with money, and make unfaithful promises to them.
This is an issue of great concern in the Nigeria electoral system, and something has to be done in other to solve this electoral problem that is being caused by INEC because is no longer a trusted body.

What is your take on this?

By law, the electoral umpire is supposed to be independent, as their decision shouldn't be influenced by anybody, no matter how high ranking you are placed. But the major problems with INEC is the fact that, the chairman of the body is being appointed by the presidency, that alone is enough to influence the decision of the body. The chairman would have been a civil servant in the highest ranking of such body, a person that have grown through the ranks to reach that level,  but hence it's leadership can be appointed outside the civil service, then whoever that is coming, it's just coming to do the bidding of the person that appointed him.

[Tmoonz]

There should be a law in our constitution that says the president must step down voluntarily but if doesn't want to step down on his own then he will be impeached. Moreover even if such law  exist in our constitution You and I know that the president might still not be impeached  because the president strong loyalists and worshipers that are in the national assembly will fight against it . If the national assembly will honour their oath of office I believed Nigeria will be a better place.

Even though such a law is implemented into The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 it won't work, because if a president fails to step down voluntarily he can't be impeached by the national assembly because he will bribe his way to remain as the president until his durations are over. Since INEC chairman is responsible in rigging election and help corrupt and bad leaders to continue ruling us, I think a law that will prevent a seating president from appointing an INEC chairman should be implemented so that the seating president can't influence the INEC chairman to rig election in his favor, this is my opinion on how Nigeria should be great again.

People knows the truth, what is good and should be obtainable but the problem here is that does your voice count? The answer is no people has been talking about changes that can be good to foster the growth of the economy as a whole and in various sectors and arms of the government but all to no avail, we are only good at talking about it but don't have all it takes to implement them as a result of the high level of corruption among politicians who are only interested in their selfish interest other than what will beneficial to the general public.

[Son Of Blockchain (SOB)]

 Do people still believe in INEC, as for me I've stopped calling them INEC but Election Riggers, they might sound independent on paper but behind the scenes they're part of the reasons why elections can never be free and fair until things change. I stopped believing the "Election Riggers" after the last presidential election when one of their staff was advising me to vote for their candidate and when I refused she didn't allow me cast my vote.
 I'll never forget that day cause I was so pissed and had to leave the polling unit then vowed never trust them again. I watched how the presidential election result was called, you could see how tensed their Chairman was and had to take a break just so he won't mistakenly vall the right result, he acted under pressure like someone with a burden.

[Promocodeudo]

I no fit remember anytime wey INEC dey independent for naija but wetin come happen now be say everything don worst under APC Government, before now, rigging no dey as open as e dey now but as e be like this eh, na even INEC officials the do am clean mouth for dey ruling party, infact na korokoro for your eyes like this them go dey do am, and you go the ask your self sey wetin be this kind thing, but how we go even dey think sey INEC go dey independent for Nigeria when the power to apoint INEC chairman both states residents electoral chairmen dey president hand, that one no tell us sey him go fit decide to apoint anybody wey em like or trust sey go do wetin him want,  and there is every possibility say before em send the pesin name to national Assembly for screening, agreement go don dey already between him and the person, my people of naija we don enter and e no go easy to comot like this.

[Oyoyoma_yu]

INEC as a body in Nigeria has not been reliable right from independence, and they are behind the election chaos that have been taking place in Nigeria, during election, they politicians call them on round table, and make promises to them, and they prefer this money than answering good name, and preserving good reputation.
In our country Nigeria, election matter dey always end for court because is always favouring the wrong person, somebody that didn't get the vote of the majority, and even the election matter goes to court to be decided there, they also use money to bribe the judge, an the judge will deliver judgement in the opposite direction. To say the truth, INEC is no longer independent, and I think there is a way to stop this INEC misconduct, and disconnect them from the power of these politicians, and the only way is to deprive any politician, even the president from nominating the INEC executives, and if this is done, the power, and the authority of this politicians will be striped off, and the INEC body will be in peace, and their should also be another body to penalize INEC if election is not free, and fair as a result of INEC misconduct.