Open Forum Care for Humanity Foundation has urged the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly to remove provisions allowing the state electoral commission to charge candidates non-refundable fees, warning that the policy could exclude financially disadvantaged aspirants from local government elections.
The foundation also called for electronic voting in local government elections, stronger powers for the Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) to disqualify candidates with verified forged credentials, and a reduction in campaign spending limits to discourage the monetisation of elective offices.
The recommendations were contained in a memorandum submitted by the foundation to the House of Assembly during a public hearing on the proposed Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission Law, 2026. The document was signed by Citizen Matthew Koffi Okono, founder and president of Open Forum.
On candidate fees, the foundation argued that an electoral commission should not operate as a revenue-generating agency, particularly where its charges could prevent opposition parties and candidates with limited financial resources from participating in elections.
It cited the provision in Section 36 of the proposed law empowering AKISIEC to charge non-refundable fees for candidates contesting chairmanship and councillorship elections, describing the arrangement as inconsistent with democratic inclusion.
Open Forum recalled that the provision was implemented during the 2024 local government elections, when the commission reportedly justified the fees on the grounds that the revenue had been captured in its internally generated revenue projections.
“An electoral body, be it at National or State should NOT be turned into a revenue generating agency of government,” the foundation stated.
It warned that retaining the provision could give an unfair advantage to a ruling party with access to government resources and political influence, while financially constrained parties struggle to nominate candidates.
The foundation also proposed that, if the Assembly insists on retaining the charges, the law should expressly stipulate the amounts payable to prevent arbitrary increases that could frustrate aspirants.
It further recommended reducing the proposed maximum campaign expenditure for chairmanship candidates from N100 million to N50 million, and for councillorship candidates from N10 million to N5 million.
According to the group, excessive campaign spending encourages candidates to treat elections as financial investments that must be recovered after assuming office, potentially undermining public accountability.
“Indigent, but qualified and patriotic aspirants and candidates without deep pockets and or godfathers to fund their aspirations/elections have over the years found it impossible to aspire,” it said.
On electoral transparency, Open Forum urged lawmakers to introduce electronic voting as an option in local government elections, arguing that the proposed legislation should clearly establish the procedures for conducting elections rather than concentrate mainly on the commission’s administrative structure and functions.
It said electronic voting could represent a significant change in the recruitment of political leadership at the grassroots, provided appropriate safeguards were incorporated into the process.
The foundation also expressed concern over provisions in the bill that could restrict court intervention in the internal affairs of political parties.
It argued that excluding the courts from such matters could leave party members without effective remedies when their rights are violated, particularly where internal dispute-resolution mechanisms are susceptible to manipulation by influential party figures.
“Any party member or citizen who has had his/her rights and privileges infringed must have a legal avenue to seek for redress and justice,” the memorandum stated.
Open Forum maintained that political parties should not be placed beyond accountability and called for the removal of the proposed restriction unless it is expressly supported by the Constitution.
On the integrity of candidates, the group urged the Assembly to empower AKISIEC to reject aspirants whose certificates or other submitted documents are confirmed to be forged during screening.
It proposed that the commission should work with security agencies to verify candidates’ credentials and that political parties presenting unqualified candidates should face sanctions.
The foundation argued that court action should be a last resort where a contestant or opposing party discovers that a candidate who has emerged from party primaries submitted false documents but was not disqualified by the electoral commission.
It also questioned the effectiveness of security screening where verified findings of forgery do not lead to the rejection of affected candidates.
The memorandum further recommended that the proposed law clarify the commission’s independence, noting that a general declaration that AKISIEC should operate without direction from another person or authority could be weakened by provisions granting the governor powers over appointments and the removal of key officials.
It called for clearer safeguards to define the commission’s operational autonomy and protect its electoral responsibilities from undue influence.
The foundation also objected to the provision allowing the commission to earn income from investments made with its funds, arguing that its primary responsibility should be the conduct of elections rather than profit-making activities. It said this should not prevent the commission from receiving interest accruing on its bank deposits.
On the structure of representation in the state, Open Forum urged the Assembly to seek the creation of a separate state constituency for each of Akwa Ibom’s 31 local government areas.
It argued that the current arrangement, under which 26 state constituencies represent the 31 local government areas, leaves some councils sharing representation and limits their ability to have distinct voices in the House.
The foundation also advocated adherence to the state character principle in appointments, commending the proposed requirement that an indigene of every local government area should be appointed an electoral officer.
However, it said the bill should properly reflect the legal status of the existing electoral commission. It noted that Akwa Ibom already has an electoral law enacted in 2022 and argued that the proposed legislation should clearly identify itself as an amendment, alteration or repeal of the existing law rather than present the establishment of the commission as an entirely new exercise.
The group also raised concerns about the bill’s reliance on the Electoral Act 2026 for the conduct of party primaries, urging the National Assembly to review provisions it considers inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution or detrimental to electoral integrity.
It recommended that political parties require tax clearance certificates from aspirants before screening them for elective offices. It also criticised automatic tickets and the right of first refusal for incumbent officeholders, arguing that such practices could restrict competition and discourage new aspirants.
Open Forum said the proposed law should provide a clearer framework for grassroots elections, promote wider participation and strengthen accountability in the political process.
The foundation thanked the Speaker and members of the House for inviting it to contribute to the public hearing and urged lawmakers to consider its recommendations in finalising the legislation.
