The Conference of Civil Society for Transparency and Accountability (COCTA), a coalition of non-partisan civic organizations across Nigeria, has thrown its support behind a North-Central candidate, Justice Abdullahi Mohammed Liman (Rtd), for the position of chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The endorsement of Hon. Justice Abdullahi Mohammed Liman comes amid heated public debate on listing of prospective candidates for the position. In a statement issued in Abuja, COCTA urges the stakeholders to ground selection conversations on facts, fairness, and respect for due process.
The group also stressed the importance of regional equity in federal appointments, noting that no INEC chairman has ever come from the North-Central zone. However, COCTA cautioned that competence, impartiality, and integrity should remain the primary criteria.
The group backs the prospective North central nominee Hon. Justice A.M. Liman, JCA a long-serving member of Nigeria’s judiciary. They noted that “the nominee has given several controversial judgments, but the decision was reached within the framework of law and evidence,” the statement read.
The statement rejected alarmist rhetoric, such as claims that Liman’s appointment could trigger civil unrest or disrupt elections. “Such assertions are unhelpful and undermine national cohesion,” said Comrade Olumuyiwa Onlede, COCTA’s convener and national coordinator.
The statement reads “we are in the front-line advocating for Independent National Electoral Commission( INEC) to take charge of Local government elections in Nigeria, just the way we had it on the 5th of December 1998”.
It added ‘we are very concerned about who becomes the next INEC chair that will no only give way for credible and transparent elections but also be open to innovation and new approaches’.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, the coalition urged the Presidency, the Council of State, political actors, the media, and civil society organizations to allow the selection process to proceed without blackmail.
The coalition reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and called for a more sober national dialogue around INEC leadership.