Since last month when a new national coalition, Save Democracy Mega Alliance 2027 (SDMA’27), launched a campaign to amend Nigeria’s constitution to remove the President’s authority over the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and state governors’ power over the State Independent Electoral Commissions, SIECs, quite a number of Nigerians have applauded the move.
The coalition is also pushing for amendment in the constitution to equally remove the president’s powers over the judiciary, particularly in the appointment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, as well as that of the Chief Judge of State in the case of state governors.
Before the group launched the campaign, there had been calls from several quarters to remove the powers to appoint the heads of the electoral body and judicial arm of the government from the president.
The argument behind the call is that such practice does not guarantee the full independence of both the electoral body…