Fresh Calls for Sack of INEC Chairman as Northerners Fume, Back SCSN Position
Fresh calls for the removal of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have emerged, with several northern groups expressing anger over what they described as persistent failures within the electoral body.
The calls followed a statement by the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN), which accused INEC of incompetence and lack of credibility in the conduct of recent elections across the country.
Speaking under the umbrella of various northern civic and political pressure groups, the stakeholders said the continued retention of the INEC chairman undermines public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.
According to them, elections conducted by the commission in recent years have been marred by logistical lapses, delayed deployment of materials, malfunctioning of election technology and what they termed “selective enforcement” of electoral laws.
One of the group leaders, who spoke to journalists in Kaduna, said northerners were justified in backing the SCSN’s position, noting that the frustration cuts across party lines.
“This is not about religion or region. It is about credibility. Nigerians are tired of promises that elections will improve, only for the same problems to repeat themselves,” he said.
The groups argued that the repeated controversies surrounding elections have weakened democracy and increased voter apathy, especially among young people.
They also accused INEC of failing to properly manage election technologies such as BVAS and the result-viewing portal, despite huge public funds invested in them.
Meanwhile, the SCSN had earlier called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to urgently review the leadership of the electoral commission in order to restore public trust and prevent future electoral crises.
INEC has yet to officially respond to the renewed calls, but the commission has consistently maintained that it remains committed to improving Nigeria’s electoral process.
The latest development adds to growing pressure on the federal government over electoral reforms, as political activities ahead of future elections begin to gather momentum.