The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) to improve in the conduct of Local Govt election in the states
INEC also advised SIECs to stop the “coronation” of candidates from ruling parties in local government elections across the country.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, gave the advise during a courtesy visit by the executive members of the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions (FOSIECOM), led by the Chairman, Jossy Chibundu- Eze, in Abuja on Wednesday.
Professor Yakubu said that the conduct of local government elections in most states has become a mere coronation of candidates of the ruling parties, adding that, that they should put an end to iit and conduct fair and credible elections.
He explained that many of the SIECs lack functional offices in the local government areas saying that they even find itt difficult to even recruit their own permanent staff, which mostly resulted to an incredible elections.
The INEC Boss explained that many of the SIECs have no functional offices in the Local Government Areas in their States and cannot recruit their own permanent staff.
“Unfortunately, the conduct of Local Government elections in virtually all the States of the Federation has become mere coronation of candidates of the ruling parties.
“In some States, the SIECs are either not properly constituted, have no security of tenure or their critical functions have been taken over by government officials.
“Some SIECs are only constituted on the eve of elections and dissolved thereafter. They are also severely under-resourced to the extent that some of them rely on INEC even for basic facilities such as ballot boxes and voting cubicles.
“Consequently, many Nigerians mistake the SIECs for INEC. Indeed, even some of the stakeholders, including candidates for Local Government elections, call them State INEC.
“This situation has forced us to reconsider some aspects of our relationship with the SIECs. Our support is now largely restricted to the voters’ register as provided by the Constitution.
“INEC cannot shoulder its own extensive responsibilities and at the same, time extend almost limitless support to other independent electoral commissions for elections outside our mandate across the country from our lean Federal budget.
“INEC is not unaware of the ongoing discussions about the future of elections for the 774 Local Government Chairmen as well as Councillors representing the 8,809 electoral wards in Nigeria.
“In spite of the challenges encountered, there has been a progressive improvement in the conduct of the Area Council Elections in the FCT. There is security of tenure for Chairmen and Councillors which is now four years. There are no caretaker committees as elections are held regularly. There is plurality in electoral outcomes as no single party has ever won elections in all the constituencies in the Area Councils.
Prof. Yakubu assured FOSIECOM that the Commission will continue to work with them to push the boundaries of electoral reform and explore all avenues under the law to improve the conduct of Local Government Elections in Nigeria.
