The National Chairman of Advanced Democratic Party, Alhaji Yabagi Sani, has called for the removal of the power to appoint Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission and Resident Electoral Commissioners from the president.
Sani also advocated for a review of the section the constitution that empowers the president to appoint the Inspector-General of Police.
He stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.
He said that the National Assembly, in the course of amending the constitution, should look into those portions for the nation’s democracy to be properly grounded.
Sani, while answering questions on how to strengthen the country’s democratic rule, said that it was not proper for the constitution to place such strategic responsibilities on the president who, oftentimes, is actively involved in the contest.
“It is not good for the president to appoint INEC chairman and everybody that matters in the commission.
“Again, the most leading security agency in a democratic government is the police.
“How does he appoint our IGP, the DIG and others because they are the ones that protect people and play fundamental roles in the process of elections?
“The national assembly is aware that these are the key aspects that must be changed first if we want a level-playing field for democracy to be strong in this country,” he said.
The ADP national chairman, who said that Nigeria should emulate countries such as United States of America and Mexico, said in those climes, police chiefs were usually elected rather than appointed.
He suggested a system whereby the National Judicial Council, civil society organisations, the media and a few other apolitical groups would be saddled with the responsibility of overseeing the appointments of the people manning such key agencies.
“If such appointees emerge through such a process not involving the president, their commitments would be to the people rather than the president,” he said.
Commenting on the two years in office of President Bola Tinubu, he said that looking at the act of governance, one should first have a self introspection.
According to Sani, who contested the 2023 presidential election with Tinubu, to govern a country is not an easy task.
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