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The National
Assembly has approved amendments to the law establishing and guiding
the activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
in accordance with the request of the new leadership of the commission.

The Harmonised INEC
Act, which was adopted by both chambers of the National Assembly, on
Thursday, shows that the lawmakers’ voted in favour of the special
amendments requested by the new INEC team. Atahiru Jega, the chairman
of INEC, had, in his maiden press conference on 22 July, requested for
specific amendment of some sections of the existing INEC act to enhance
the commission’s chances at conducting a credible free and fair
elections in 2011. Mr. Jega requested the special amendments to
sections 10 (5), 21 and 11 (4) of the 2006 INEC Act, which was at that
point being amended by the National Assembly, to reflect the changes
caused by the amended 1999 constitution.

The amendments

Mr. Jega said the
new leadership requested the amendment of section 10 (5) of the
electoral act to reduce the time for end of registration, updating and
revision of the voters’ register from 120 days before election to 60
days. “This gives us an additional eight weeks, bringing the total
period available to compile a new register to 16 weeks,” he said. He
also requested for the amendment of section 21 of the act to reduce the
time for completion of supplementary list of voters, integration into
the existing register and final certification from 60 days before the
election to 30 days.

Although the amendments sought by the new INEC team was the initial
position of the senate on the amendment of the INEC Act, the House of
Reps had voted to retain the old timelines. The process of lawmaking
requires both chambers to agree on every section of the Act before it
will be passed into law. During the harmonisation, the representatives
however voted in favour of the stance of the senate and as requested by
the new INEC team. The harmonised copy of the bill will be forwarded to
the president for his assent and subsequent passage into law. The new
INEC act reflects a radical deviation from the past stipulating stiffer
regulation for campaigns and party funding and harsh penalties for
offenders.