As earlier done by the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for the review of laws governing the conduct of local government elections and financial autonomy of the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIEC).
IPAC under the leadership of High Chief Peter Ameh, during a recent press conference, called for the review of laws for the conduct of local government elections saying that SIECS were used to conduct elections in favour of the state governments thereby stifling the smaller parties who may be more popular in the rural areas.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu who made the call in Abuja, Thursday when he received members of the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON ) in a courtesy visit to INEC headquarters said the issues critical to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections at the local government level, needed to be seriously considered.
He said that there had been discussions in the past on the need to have a modern law, model on the Electoral Act to govern the conduct of local government elections nationwide.
He said that while there was law establishing SIEC and its composition, each state had its procedures, regulations and guidelines for the conduct of local government elections.
“We need modern law to guide to govern the conduct of local government elections in the country, that draw to a considerable extent from the national electoral legal framework.
“The second issue we need to work together is the independent of SEIC. Independent of SIEC cannot be guaranteed where there is no financial independence.
“We will look at whatever we can do to work to ensure financial independence for the SIEC that will enormously help the conduct of elections,’’ Yakubu said.
The INEC chairman pledged the continuous partnership of INEC with FOSIECON to ensure the conduct of credible, free and fair elections in Nigeria.
Yakubu said that the relationship between INEC and SIEC should be organic, adding that the two electoral bodies were both created by the constitution.
He said that while INEC was created to conduct elections for the federal, state and FCT elective positions, SIEC was in charge of Local Government elections.
He said that though INEC was not involved in the conduct of LG elections, the commission had been a partner with SIEC in several ways including the provision of register of voters and voting cubicles to the latter in conduct of such elections.
Yakubu, who stressed the need for continuous interactiony between the two electoral bodies, recalled that they meet in February 2018 where they discussed the need for regular interaction and others critical issues that must be acted upon.
“We discussed the need for resuscitation and reconstitution of our interactive committee so that we can continue to interact in a deeper way.
“We need to do this as soon as possible to enable the committee resume work, review and strengthening our Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and to plan our joint conference which is proposed to take place in the first quarter of 2020.’’
Speaking earlier, FOSIECON Chairman, Justice Igbozuruike Akomas, said they were at INEC headquarters to facilitate the implementation of MoU and proposals made during the meeting between the two electoral bodies held on Feb. 21, 2018.
Akomas, who is also the chairman of Abia SIEC, commended INEC for successful conduct of the 2019 general elections and his interest in the development of SIEC.
