Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega has said the commission should be more independent, stating that the chairman should not be appointed by the President.

He said this at a public lecture which the Aminu Kano Centre for Democratic Research and Training organised in Kano.

According to him, the areas of funding and appointment of its chairman and commissioners should be autonomous.

“Still the president nominates INEC’s chairman,” he said.

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“It is important to legislate the appointment of the INEC chairman. Despite the fact that Nigeria had achieved a lot, there was need for more reforms.

“Ghana that we celebrate has the worst process of appointing chairman of its electoral body. Once the president nominates, the nominee will obviously emerge as chairman and will stay on that position until he reaches his retirement age, which is 70.”

He, however, stated that the commission currently enjoys relative autonomy in terms of funding.

“INEC currently has account with the CBN where it controls all its money. This has given the commission relative autonomy in terms of funding; once money is released into its account, it can control it,” he added.

Azeez