KEY POINTS
- SDMA’27 calls to end presidential control of INEC and judiciary.
- Backed by prominent leaders and pro-democracy groups, new coalition.
- It seeks to set up independent body for electoral officials appointment.
National coalition, Save Democracy Mega Alliance 2027 (SDMA’27) has launched a campaign to amend the Nigerian Constitution to strip the president of powers over the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECS) on the part of state governors.
Comrade Tony Akeni Le Moin, a spokesperson for the coalition, at a briefing in Abuja, said the coalition will be officially launched in all the states before the ‘boot camp’ in Abuja.
The SDMA’27 cfor constitutional reform gathers momentum
SDMA’27 is primarily geared towards the reform of the executive’s powers over Nigeria’s electoral and judicial systems and to transfer same powers to a non partisan body of vetted Nigerians.
Underpinned by eminent personages like Professor Pat Utomi, a well known political economist, the coalition is equally motivated by the Justice Uwais Electoral Reform report that equally canvasses electoral reform, using executive appointment reform as a means to a fair election.
Support for independent appointments is broad
The coalition laid out a three point plan to begin the building of a nationwide consensus spread across political, religious and civil society networks.
The movement is however ready to form a National Conference, propose the amendments formally and lobby both the National and State Assemblies to bring the reforms to law through SDMA’27.
In a statement, the group also cited Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and called upon Nigerians ‘to prepare for the national emergency that must take place to restore the integrity of our democracy.’
According to Vanguard, these changes, SDMA’27 therefore envisions a Nigeria that will have fairer elections, an independent judiciary and minimal executive interference in the country’s democratic process.
