Former Rivers Governor Proposes Bold Electoral Reform
Former Governor of Rivers State, Celestine Omehia, has called for a radical reforms in Nigeria’s electoral system, stating that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be elected by the people rather than appointed by the President.
Omehia made the proposal in his newly released book Titled, Restructuring Nigeria: The Way Forward. He argued that the current process, where the president appoints the INEC chairman, compromises the commission’s independence and raises concerns about executive influence in elections in the country.
Omehia suggested that national INEC commissioners should be elected at the provincial or state level, to ensure fair representation and reduce bias in the composition of the electoral body. According to him, this bottom-up approach would strengthen decentralization and increase public confidence in the commission.
The former governor also stressed the need for financial autonomy for INEC, secured by the constitution. He maintained that funding the commission directly, rather than through the executive arm would guarantee its neutrality and safeguard its institutional integrity henceforth.
While acknowledging that his ideas may sound unconventional and even radical, Omehia insisted that they are necessary to protect Nigeria’s democracy. He noted futher that empowering sub-national governments in the electoral process would check executive excesses and deepen democratic culture.
Omehia believes that electing INEC leadership would improve transparency, credibility, and public trust in elections. He argued that such reforms would help reduce post-election disputes and strengthen Nigeria’s democratic journey.
However, for these reforms to become reality, constitutional amendments and strong political will are required.
