Joint Committee on Electoral Matters proposes slash of executive, legislators salaries

The Joint Committee on Electoral Matters has proposed a cut in salaries of legislators and members of the executive by 40 and 30 per cent, respectively.

The committee made this proposition on Monday during an interactive session chaired by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Electoral Matters, Sharafadeen Alli, on the National Assembly Review and amendment of the Electoral Act 2022.

According to the committee, the salaries of legislators should be reduced by 30 per cent while that of the executives be reduced by 40 per cent to cut costs.

During the session, political parties also proposed that all elections – presidential, National Assembly, governorship, and State Houses of Assembly – be conducted on a single day, stressing that the current staggered system of elections is not cost-effective.

The committee also proposed the continuous voter registration link to the National Identity Number, NIN, for added security and to save costs during the voter’s registration.

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Among the 35 proposals presented by the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, the registered political parties insisted that the appointment of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, chairman should no longer be the responsibility of the executive rather it should be advertised to interested parties.

Meanwhile, the joint committee has promised to interact with INEC and Nigerians across the board, for robust feedback to minimise disruptions and ensure hitch-free elections in the future.