17
Jun
Jun
INEC’S DECISION TO ALLOW FCDA BUILD ITS HEADQUARTERS SPARKS CONTROVERSY
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CapitalTimesNews / 4 days
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- 2 min read
The decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to allow the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) to construct its new national headquarters in Abuja has sparked widespread criticism. Former National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and 2019 Presidential Candidate of the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA), Chief Peter Ameh, in a statement, strongly condemned the move, describing it as a direct assault on the commission’s constitutional independence. Chief Peter Ameh argued that the arrangement undermines INEC’s autonomy, as guaranteed by Section 158(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which insulates the commission from external control in its operations. “The mere fact that FCDA, an agency under the Federal Capital Territory Administration and subject to political oversight by Nyesom Wike, to fund and construct its headquarters, INEC risks compromising its impartiality and eroding public trust in the electoral process,” Ameh said. Ameh further criticized INEC’s priority, saying the commission’s focus on a new headquarters while neglecting the welfare of its staff is misplaced. “The employees who manage voter registration, election logistics, and result collation deserve competitive salaries, adequate training, and improved working conditions to enhance their efficiency and resist electoral malpractices,” he added. Peter Ameh called on INEC to immediately halt the arrangement with the FCDA and leverage its direct line charge to independently fund and manage the construction of its headquarters. He also urged the National Assembly to exercise its oversight powers to ensure that INEC’s budget reflects its infrastructural and operational needs without reliance on external agencies. Ameh emphasized that the Nigerian people deserve an electoral body that upholds its constitutional mandate of independence and prioritizes the mechanisms that drive credible elections. “Any attempt to undermine INEC’s autonomy threatens the foundation of our democracy,” he warned.