By Mercy Adewunmi
The House of Representatives has taken a significant step towards altering the 1999 Constitution to allow independent candidates to run for elected office without political party affiliation. The bill, introduced by Rep Akin Rotimi Jr, aims to amend key sections of the constitution to enable individuals to contest in various elections at national and local levels as independent candidates.
Rep Rotimi highlighted the bill’s focus on democratizing the political space and providing opportunities for underrepresented groups, such as women, youths, and people with disabilities, to participate in the electoral process. The proposed legislation would require independent candidates to meet the same qualifications as party-sponsored candidates and undergo a nomination process involving a minimum number of registered voters.
Engaging with colleagues and stakeholders, Rep Rotimi expressed confidence in the bill’s potential to bring about positive change in Nigeria’s electoral landscape. He emphasized the need for adjustments in existing legislation to ensure effective implementation if the bill is passed into law.
“We believe in inclusive governance, and part of that means that we are democratizing the political space for people like you and I, to have access to the electoral process as well, and to ensure that every Nigerian is also part of the process. To also ensure that, most especially the vulnerable population, such as women, youth, persons living with disability, are also given a level playing field to explore opportunities within the politics, law and electoral landscape. He said.
“The interest in the bill is to further democratize Nigeria’s electoral process.
You know, currently, the Constitution as amended doesn’t have the provisions for independent candidates. So it’s a constitutional amendment bill which would, of course, go through the entire process that has been outlined as far as the sixth official to the 1999 Constitution as amended is concerned. There are comparable jurisdictions where this already happen. There are a lot of countries where you have very strong parties, extremely solid parties, but, still have independent candidacy provisions.” He added.
The House’s support for the bill signals a potential shift towards a more inclusive and diverse political environment in Nigeria, offering individuals without party backing the opportunity to seek elected office. As the bill progresses through the legislative process, Rep Rotimi remains optimistic about its prospects and the impact it could have on the country’s electoral system.
