Polls: Reps Mull Independent Candidacy As Bill Passes First Reading

The House of Representatives at plenary on Thursday passed for first reading, a Bill seeking an alteration to the 1999 Constitution (as amended), to allow independent candidates to stand for elective offices in future elections.

The proposed legislation is titled, “A bill for an Act to alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As amended) to allow for the participation of candidates who are not sponsored by political parties in the presidential, governorship, National Assembly, State Houses of Assembly and local government council elections.”

Sponsored by the House spokesperson and member representing Ikole/Oye Federal Constituency of Ekiti State, Rep. Akin Rotimi, the Bill seeks to amend Sections 7, 65, 106, 131, 177, and 221 of the 1999 Constitution.

Section 7, sub-section 4A of the Bill provides that “Notwithstanding any other law, any individual eligible to vote or contest an election into the State House of Assembly, shall have the right to be a candidate for election to any local government office notwithstanding that such individual does not belong to, or is not sponsored by any political party.”

Section 4B provides that, “A candidate who does not belong to or is not sponsored by any political party shall only contest an election if (i) In the case of a chairmanship election, such a candidate has obtained the verified signatures of at least ten per cent of registered voters from at least two-thirds majority of all the electoral wards in the respective local government area;

“(ii) In the case of a councillorship election, such a candidate obtains the signatures of at least ten per cent of registered voters from at least two-thirds majority of all the polling units in the respective electoral wards, provided always that the signatures shall be verified by the Independent National Electoral Commission or the State Electoral Commission; and that a registered voter shall not sign for more than one independent candidate in respect of the same office.”

LEADERSHIP recalls that a similar Bill introduced during the 9th National Assembly did not receive the requisite approval from the State Houses of Assembly as mandated by law.

Addressing reporters thereafter, Rep. Rotimi said the time had come for qualified individuals without sponsorship from political parties to run for any office of their choice without hindrance.

“This bill will broaden the democratic process, thereby allowing citizens who are not affiliated with any political party the opportunity to run for public offices,” Rotimi said.

He said that to qualify to contest the main election, independent candidates will be required to meet certain requirements such as getting the endorsement of a certain number of registered voters in the area he or she wants to represent.