Nigerians intensify campaign to strip president of powers over INEC, judiciary

Save Democracy Mega Alliance 2027 (SDMA’27) launched a campaign to amend Nigeria ’s constitution.

The group wants to remove President's authority over the Independent National Electoral Commission , INEC , and state governors’ power over the State Independent Electoral Commissions , SIECs.

The coalition is also pushing for amendment in the constitution to equally remove the president's powers over the appointment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria , CJN .

Arewa Youth Consultative Forum , AYCF , Alhaji Yerima Shettima expressed doubt about setting up an independent body to oversee such appointments.

He said the system has been so centralized that granting independence to such a separate body might not be possible because the president and commander in chief has enormous powers to do anything.

The INEC chairmen have always been under the firm grip of the president who dictates what happens.

“They should be independent and work for the good of all Nigerians and not work for a group of individuals. That is why it has not been possible to have credible elections in Nigeria . “All the manipulations that have come to characterise our electoral jurisprudence will become things of the past,” he said.