Four INEC National Commissioner’s Tenure Has Expired – Official

Four National Commissioner positions are currently vacant at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with the 2027 general elections less than a year away.

A senior commission official who spoke with Daily Trust, disclosed this on Saturday, saying three commissioners completed their statutory five-year tenure and left office on September 14, while another is expected to exit the commission this month.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the vacancies would not affect INEC’s ability to take decisions because the remaining commissioners could still form the required quorum.

He acknowledged, however, that the departures had increased the workload of commissioners who remained in office.

The official said having the commission fully constituted remained desirable, although the vacancies would not prevent it from carrying out its constitutional responsibilities.

“Obviously, we should have the commission with the full complement. But that doesn’t mean that it’s an adverse effect because there was a precedent. Elections were held without the full complement, but the most important thing is that there is quorum,” he said.

According to him, INEC would have eight National Commissioners after the fourth vacancy becomes effective, which would still be enough to form a quorum.

“Because after the four have left, we still have eight. And the quorum is also there, so the decision, it doesn’t affect decisions in the quorum,” he said.

Despite the availability of a quorum, the official said the vacancies should be filled promptly to ease the additional responsibilities being handled by the serving commissioners.

He explained that commissioners whose colleagues had left were taking over supervision of additional states and chairmanship of committees previously assigned to the affected officials.

“So that means more work, of course, for those who are there. So that underscores the need for the government as quickly as possible to fill in those vacancies,” he said.

The official identified the three commissioners who completed their tenure as Professor Abdullahi Abdu Zuru from the North-West, Professor Sani Adam from the North-Central and Dr Baba Bila from the North-East.

Zuru served as Chairman of the Operations and Logistics Committee, while Adam headed the Legal Services, Clearance and Compliance Committee.

Bila was Chairman of the Finance and General Purpose Committee. The fourth commissioner, Professor Kunle Ajayi from the South-West, is expected to complete his tenure this month, although the official said he could not immediately confirm the exact date.

Ajayi chairs the Outreach and Partnership Committee. The official stressed that the commissioners left because their constitutionally prescribed five-year tenure had elapsed.

“Their tenure expired. They were sworn in exactly five years ago. To the date, their tenure expired. The three I told you, their tenure expired September 14th.

“So they were sworn in five years earlier, exactly five years earlier. So when it is on the dot, when your tenure expires, you leave,” he said.

The official explained that INEC does not appoint its National Commissioners or Resident Electoral Commissioners, saying the Federal Government handles that responsibility.

“You know the procedure. The President nominates, submits it to the National Council of State. If the National Council of State approves, then the Presidency sends it to the Senate.

“So INEC has absolutely no role in the appointment of its commissioners, whether they are National or Resident Electoral Commissioners,” he said.

He added that nominees would undergo the required security clearances, including screening by the Department of State Services (DSS), before the constitutional appointment process could be completed.

Asked whether the Presidency was aware of the vacancies, the official said he could not speak on its behalf.

“I wouldn’t know. They should know, but I cannot speak for the Presidency,” he said.

The official also disclosed that a Resident Electoral Commissioner had left the commission.