Festus Okoye, the commissioner for information and voter education of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that the commission is under pressure to deliver on its mandate.
This was disclosed by Okoye during an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today.
When asked whether INEC is under pressure, he said, “Yes, there is pressure on the commission. There is a pressure from the Nigerian people on the commission (INEC) to conduct, free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections. So we are under pressure from the Nigerian people and that’s the only pressure I know about.”
Okoye added that the process for the removal of INEC chairman is also rigorous.
He said, “Let me make this point. The position of the INEC chairman is a very serious position and it is a constitutionally protected position. The process for the appointment of INEC chairman is a very rigorous process. The president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria makes nomination, then goes top the council of state.
“Thereafter he goes to the National Assembly for possible confirmation. Now the process and the procedure, the mechanism for the removal of INEC chairman is also a very rigorous process. First there must be an allegation and that allegation must conform to the provision of constitution.
“Thereafter the allegation must be taken to the president and the president now approaches the National Assembly asking the Senate in this instance to remove the electoral management body.”