Hon. Mamman Nda Eri, National Chairman, Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) says scrapping State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) is to disregard the spirit of federalism.
Hon. Eri while reacting to recent calls for the scrapping of SIECs said the move will murder democracy.
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The recent call by the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) for the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) has made it necessary to once again clarify publicly the structure and credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system.
While we acknowledge IPAC’s role in promoting political participation and dialogue, its position on this issue, perhaps borne out of genuine concern, does not reflect the broader constitutional intent of deepening democracy at the grassroots.
Scrapping the SIECs would not strengthen democracy—it would weaken it.
The State Independent Electoral Commissions are not arbitrary creations. They are products of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), established under Section 197 and the Third Schedule. Their primary mandate is to conduct, supervise, and ensure credible elections at the local government level, the tier of government closest to the people. To call for their abolition is to disregard the spirit of federalism and to centralize electoral management in a way that undermines grassroots democracy.
Nigeria’s democratic system is built on the principle of shared responsibility between the federal, state and local governments. Just as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) oversees federal and state elections, the SIECs are constitutionally empowered to manage local elections. Eliminating them would not only distort this balance but also deny citizens the right to participate meaningfully in the governance of their immediate communities.
Instead of seeking to abolish SIECs, electoral amendments should focus on strengthening them. This can be achieved through legislative reforms that guarantee their financial and administrative independence, capacity development for staff, and greater transparency in the conduct of local polls. These are the areas where constructive engagement is needed, not in dismantling a constitutionally established institution.
We align with the position of the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), which has rightly opposed the scrapping of SIECs. True democratic progress requires building stronger institutions, not erasing them. The challenges facing local elections are not peculiar to the SIECs; they reflect broader governance and political culture issues that require collective reform efforts.
The Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) remains committed to promoting credible, transparent, and inclusive local elections across the country. We will continue to advocate changes that enhance integrity, fairness, and public confidence in the electoral process. However, any proposal to abolish the SIECs would amount to an attack on the constitutional foundation of Nigeria’s democracy and a setback for local governance.
We therefore call on IPAC, Civil Society Organizations, and the general public to join hands in the task of reforming and strengthening the State Independent Electoral Commissions. What Nigeria needs is a more accountable system, not a centralized electoral monopoly. Let us work together to deepen democracy from the grassroots upward, rather than weaken it through hasty and ill-considered calls for abolition.
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