Gbolahan Salman Sokoto
The Youth Electoral Reform Project (YERP-Naija), Nigeria’s largest youth-led electoral reform movement, has called on the 10th National Assembly to enact bold constitutional amendments that will enhance youth confidence and integrity in the country’s electoral process.
Speaking during a public hearing on the constitutional review held in Sokoto on Saturday, the State Coordinator of YERP-Naija, Yusuf Muhammad Ladan, urged lawmakers to prioritize three major reforms: the independence of the electoral commission, timely resolution of election petitions, and the creation of a dedicated electoral offences body.
“To improve youth confidence and participation in our elections, we are counting on the National and State Assemblies to support reforms that can deliver truly credible elections,” Ladan said.
Among the key proposals presented in YERP’s memorandum is the demand for the removal of presidential powers to appoint the Chairman and Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), recommending instead a non-partisan selection committee to ensure greater neutrality.
The group also advocated that all pre- and post-election petitions be concluded before elected officials are sworn into office, to prevent the undue advantage incumbents may enjoy during pending legal disputes.
Another major recommendation is the removal of INEC’s prosecutorial role in electoral offences, paving the way for a new Electoral Offences Commission to handle such cases more efficiently, while allowing INEC to focus solely on election management.
Ladan formally presented a detailed memorandum highlighting the proposed constitutional amendments and the justifications for each. The YERP-Naija campaign, which is implemented by the JDev Foundation and supported by the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), aims to galvanize youth voices for meaningful electoral reform across the country.
“Young people in your constituencies, and the country at large, invite the 10th National Assembly to make electoral reform history with us by passing these recommendations,” he concluded.
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