Tinubu Should Not Name INEC Chair, APC official, ADP Chair Agree on Inside Sources.

Guests on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, aired on Channels TV on Sunday, expressed mixed reactions over the role of the president in appointing the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and proposed far-reaching reforms to improve Nigeria’s electoral system. While some argued for the separation of security and electoral appointments from the presidency, others insisted […]

Guests on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, aired on Channels TV on Sunday, expressed mixed reactions over the role of the president in appointing the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and proposed far-reaching reforms to improve Nigeria’s electoral system.

While some argued for the separation of security and electoral appointments from the presidency, others insisted such powers should remain with the government of the day.

Hon. Duro Meseko, a former member of the House of Representatives and Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), defended the president’s authority to appoint the IGP, countering calls for its removal from executive control.

“Well, I agree … as to the issue of reforms that are needed and some of the areas he listed,” Meseko began, but added, “I would disagree within the area of the appointment of IG, because, I mean, all over the advanced climes… the appointment of IG or the head of the military of any nation rests squarely with the Commander-in-Chief — who in this case is the president.”

However, he sided with the push to reform how Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials are appointed:
“I agree with him that… the appointment of INEC presiding officers should be done by some form of… I don’t know how we do it now, but the framers will know how to go about it — not the president, not the state governors this time.”
Laolu Akande, the host, reminded viewers that the Justice Mohammed Uwais-led Electoral Reform Committee had already recommended that the president should not appoint INEC commissioners. “The Justice Mohammed Uwais commission actually recommended that… and it was accepted. And many of our brothers and leaders who are in power today actually supported the Uwais Commission’s recommendation,” Akande said. “So hopefully this is a reform that we can get to.”
Yabagi Sani, Chairman of the African Democratic Party (ADP), emphasized the need to amend Nigeria’s laws to delay the swearing-in of elected officials until all electoral disputes are resolved.
“I don’t think it will serve the purpose of justice if somebody who still has a question mark on his election… should be sworn in,” Sani argued. “Once you swear in the president or governor, he becomes an institution… because he has all the power of the government at his disposal.”
He warned that allowing potentially tainted victories to translate into power risks undermining justice. “Our laws should be amended so that anybody who wins must wait if at all you have any case to answer as a result of the elections,” he added.
Akande supported the sentiment with historical context: “I remember in 1979… between UPN and NPN… I think the matter was concluded before the swearing-in, but I don’t remember exactly. But it shows we can do it.”
Meseko agreed: “All electoral issues should be sorted out even before swearing in. I mean, it’s a good thing… It hasn’t all gone well for the system.”
Meseko also raised concerns about election-day security, especially in remote areas. “Another area of reform that I think should happen is also in the area of protection of votes,” he said. “You find most of the voting points are really not too secure… especially in distant places.”
He emphasized that the current system still leaves polling units vulnerable, which undermines confidence in the vote.
Sani called for electronic result transmission as a solution to the controversies surrounding collation. “The moment we can take care of collation… and insist on transmission of results digitally… a winner will be known,” he said. “So you mean that right from the point of voting and counting, the result is recorded and transmitted to wherever… like what happens in the so-called developed areas.”