The Independent National Electoral Commission is facing challenges in managing the implementation of the new Electoral Act 2022, the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Yabagi Sani, has said.
Sani also demanded a situation whereby the democratic process would be open for all to participate in.
The IPAC Chairman, who is also the current National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party, questioned the way the commission is managing the implementation of the new electoral law.
In a telephone interview with our correspondent on Sunday, he explained that any law that tends to disenfranchise the populace should be reconsidered as it cannot be said to be in sync with the constitution.
Sani said, “In terms of focus, commitment, funds, and logistics, I would say that the Independent National Electoral Commission is prepared.
I think the only challenge that they are having is how to manage the implementation of the Electoral Act of 2022 in terms of deepening democracy.
“Any law that disenfranchises citizens in a democratic setting is bad. If you are hearing that people are being disfranchised either because of the INEC timetable, which cannot and does not supersede the law, that is a bad regulation as far as democracy is concerned.
“Democracy is about the people, and it is aimed at bringing as many people as possible to take a bite of the trend. But you cannot use the regulation to disenfranchise the citizens. Even if the law allows them to change their candidate if the person withdraws, and you now have a regulation that says you can’t as a party, the regulation is bad in and of itself. Democracy is about unhindered access to political participation. It is not an autocratic system that we are practising.”
Sani also called on INEC to open up the electoral process to ensure an all-inclusive process.
He said, “Open up the process for everyone to participate. The registered voter list released by INEC revealed that a lot of people were disenfranchised on the excuse that the portal is closed. That is not democracy. Political parties are not happy. Citizens are not happy because it is about allowing citizens to participate. If anyone introduces anything that limits that participation, that is not democracy.
The agency or regulation cannot be seen to deepen democracy. It is not right. The regulator should work towards opening the space to allow people to come in, provided that they are not violating the law itself.
“The law is power itself and not regulation. Regulations are supposed to facilitate the implementation of the law to advance the course of democracy, not to stifle it.”
He also stressed that what the Commission ought to have done now is to allow political parties unhindered access to democracy.
He said, “They should allow political parties to have unhindered access to democracy. If you do anything that tampers with that right, it is wrong and anti-democracy.
“We understand that the law must be respected, but if that law is not violated by people, it is very fine. INEC does not understand democracy.”