 Welcome back. It's still the breakfast and plus TV Africa ahead of the 2023 general elections. And I just President Muhammad Buhari has been urged to withdraw the alleged members of the uprogressive Congress who have been nominated as resident electoral commissioners Rex social economic rights and accountability projects made as a non-governmental organization made the call in the statement issued on Sunday by Deputy Director Kolaulay Oluwadare. President Buhari, if you recollect in the letter to the Senate on July 25, requested the confirmation of the 19 resident electoral commissioners for the Independent National Electoral Commission. But the human rights group stated that at least four of the 19 nominees allegedly either belonged to the political party who had been previously indicted for corruption. Now Serb therefore wants the president to in its words use quote his leadership position to urgently withdraw the names of nominees recently submitted to the Senate for confirmation as resident electoral commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission who allegedly members of the uprogressive Congress. Now I'm glad to say joining us from the ancient city of Kano is a political analyst and academic Professor Sonny Fagge. Professor Fagge, good morning to you. Thank you very much for your time. Good morning. Thank you. Is there anything that prevents people who belong to a political party from holding positions in the Independent National Electoral Commission? Yeah, there are a lot of things. The Independent Electoral Commission is supposed to be independent and is supposed to be neutral. So in a situation where members belonging to a political party, you know, their interests will be in their own parts. So whatever they can do or they will do, they will do it in order to give their party an advantage. So by having people belonging to a political party, you are not providing a level playing ground. You are not providing a neutral playing ground and you are not providing an independent and neutral empire. So that is why we shouldn't have people belonging to a party as members. And that is why we shouldn't also have people with questionable character because they are being interested in national responsibility. Well, but I mean, as great as that sounds, very understandable. But what do you make of the scenario where, you know, the appointment of the chairman is still within the jurisdiction of the president? I mean, it's, it's, you still have the fact that the position of the chairman is under a subject to appointment and that's under the executive arm of government. I mean, so what's the level of independence here? Because we're also looking at finances. That compromises the independence of the institution. It's appointees are not supposed to be by the government. I mean, by the executive. I suppose no matter what, they will be subject to and due influence by those who influence them. So that is why not only when we talk of autonomy, we are not talking only financial autonomy, but also political and administrative autonomy in such a way that these people are not loyal to any person in power. So, but Professor Sani, would you say that the independent electoral commission is very independent, especially where appointment is still subject, you know, to the executive? And wouldn't it also be hypocritical to say that members of political parties cannot be part of the, you know, commission? What difference does he make? The, you know, the commission is still within the poor view and control to some extent of the executive arm of government. Yeah, I think this is part of the contradiction that we're having. They are subject to the appointment by the executive. And then we say members of a certain political party or members of any political party should not be appointed. So I think that is a very big contradiction. What ought to be the case is that from the chairman to the reds, to every other person that is employed should be politically neutral. And in other words, they can be subject to appointment by, like, let's say like judiciary, for example, which is an arm of government, but independent of the government. So they can be subject to, you know, appointment by that wing of the government. But what we are having now actually is part of the contradiction in the system. Because even if let's say the executive happens not to choose anybody from any political party or a member of a political party. Yes, by virtue of the fact that they are responsible for their appointment, that also negates the neutrality of INIC and that also negates their independence. Why do you think this issue keeps wearing its head? You know, the case of Loretta Noche, who was nominated to be an INIC National Commissioner as well documented and that didn't see the light of day on some technicality. We have not just Sarah, but a number of civil society organizations. Remember Samsoni Todorff, Yaga Africa also, you know, using the word capture that there's a plan or a ploy to capture INIC and capture democracy in the country. Why does this continue? Why does the government, what do you think governments continue consistently to look for ways to, you know, appoint members of the ruling party into positions in INIC? And this has never happened on this scale before, since the return of democracy in 1999. I think that is part of the pressure. Maybe there are some people behind them who are political heavyweights, who are pushing them. You know, what we have in our own appointment in Nigeria is that issues, I mean, people like that, they are nominated also sponsored by certain people. So I think it is an interest here. That is why they keep on pushing them. And I think the president put it a responsibility to the nation as he places that is going to leave a free and fair election to conduct a free and fair election. I think since the issue so that no matter the person behind them, no matter the power behind this candidate, the presidential chamber can put more neutral, more acceptable candidates than to try, you know, like what we had, what we had in the case of Mao Buu, that somebody returned to them, the president, which is as if these people are the only competent people from their own state or from the country. I like you to share your thoughts on this. Just recently and over time, the president has been saying the fact that there will be a free and credible election in 2023. As a matter of fact, he said that there will be no interference. And you know, with this particular action, do you really think that the president, there's any level of integrity, you know, with what he's saying and his actions? Yeah, I think his integrity will depend on how he's able to weather these storm of challenges. People have, I mean, I congratulate the organization for bringing out the issue and I congratulate those who are consistent in terms of bringing the issue out. So now it depends on the president. His promise of, you know, conducting a free and fair election, this is a litmus test. The way he is able to handle this will now go in history in terms of his credibility, in terms of what he said and about them by action. So I think, like I said, this is a challenge, which to me, the president ought to take immediate action on that because there has been these challenges. So he can investigate. Now, the two options is that he can investigate the reality. If he establishes that there are members of political party or there are people with questionable characters, he can change them or let them with other people. On the other hand, if he checks and find out these are allegations, then he ought it a duty to explain it to Nigerians that the allegations are unfounded and then he can go ahead. But insisting on issues despite the challenges, despite the concerns by Nigerians, I think that will be a major setback if he goes ahead and ignores this concern of Nigerians over these particular people. Well, we have to call it a wrap now. Professor Sani Fagi, thank you so much for being part of the show. For the one-tip time, we probably would have continued this conversation, but we're really out of time. Thank you very much. All right, then. Professor Sani Fagi is a political analyst and is also professor. He reached us all the way from Kanu. Thank you so much for being part of the show. All right. You can follow us on social media platforms. 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