The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has issued an urgent appeal to President Bola Tinubu, calling for immediate action to review the controversial appointments of several Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) allegedly affiliated with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a June 7, 2025 letter signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organization warned that these appointments risk undermining public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections.
SERAP specifically highlighted concerns about four RECs appointed in October 2023 – Etekamba Umoren (Akwa Ibom), Isah Shaka Ehimeakne (Edo), Bunmi Omoseyindemi (Lagos), and Anugbum Onuoha (Rivers) – arguing their alleged political ties violate constitutional requirements for electoral officials to remain non-partisan.
The group emphasized that “public perception of the independence of INEC is essential for building confidence in the electoral process,” and that doubts about INEC’s neutrality could erode trust in democracy itself.
Citing Section 156(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution and Paragraph 14 of the Third Schedule, which mandate non-partisanship and unquestionable integrity for INEC officials, SERAP called for sweeping reforms. The organization urged President Tinubu to nominate replacement candidates with verifiable non-partisan credentials and direct Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi to draft legislation strengthening INEC’s institutional autonomy.
SERAP further grounded its demands in Nigeria’s international obligations under the African Charter on Democracy and UN Human Rights Committee standards, noting that “the credibility and legitimacy of elections depend largely on the independence and impartiality of those appointed to manage the process.”
With the Presidency yet to respond, this intervention spotlights growing concerns about political interference in electoral governance. SERAP’s letter concluded with an urgent plea to protect the “sanctity and integrity” of Nigeria’s democratic process, setting the stage for a critical test of the Tinubu administration’s commitment to electoral reforms promised during the 2023 campaign.
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