Make Legislature Part-Time, Ex-INEC Chair Jega Urges FG

Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has called on the Federal Government to make the country’s legislature a part-time institution.

Speaking during the June 12 edition of The Platform held in Lagos, Jega said Nigeria’s National Assembly and state legislatures should be reduced in size and operate on a part-time basis with lower remuneration.

“As part of the process of reforming and strengthening the legislature for efficiency and effectiveness, a strong rational case can be made for both reducing the size of the federal and state legislatures, as well as making their work part-time with reduced emoluments,” he said.

He criticised the legislature’s failure to maintain independence, citing executive interference, budget padding, excessive allowances, and “insensitive expenditure.”

Jega also called for a review of the 2022 Electoral Act, including a provision to mandate the electronic transmission of election results.

“There is a need for increased use of technology in elections to enhance transparency and accountability,” he said. “For example, the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 should be improved to make the electronic transmission of results mandatory.”

He said the public’s distrust in the electoral process stems in part from how election technology is introduced and deployed.

“There is a need to ensure transparent testing of electoral technologies, because much of the public distrust relates to the haphazard manner in which these technologies were introduced, without public participation in their testing before deployment,” he said.

Jega also said Section 64 of the Electoral Act should be revised to clarify how physical and electronic results are compared.

“There is a need to remove ambiguities in the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act regarding the transmission of election results. For example, Section 64 should be clarified with respect to the stages involved in comparing physical and electronic results,” he said.

He also called for changes in how INEC leadership is appointed, referencing the late Justice Mohammed Uwais-led Electoral Reform Committee, which recommended insulating the commission from executive control.

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