LG elections, mere coronation of ruling parties candidates – INEC chairman

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has raised concerns about the conduct of local government elections in the country.

Yakubu described the elections as mere coronations of ruling party candidates, calling for significant reforms to ensure fair and credible elections.

The INEC chairman said this on Wednesday during a courtesy call by the executive members of the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions.

“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.

“However, under the extant law, the 36 SIECs are responsible for the election of 768 Local Government Chairmen and 8,747 Councillors, making a total of 9,515 constituencies. INEC conducts elections for the 68 constituencies in the FCT made up of six Area Council Chairmen and 62 Councillors, including bye-elections as they arise.

“It has been our earnest hope that the elections conducted by INEC in the FCT will provide a model for Local Government elections across the country. Despite 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.

“Happily, the Electoral Act 2022 that now governs the conduct of national and Area Council elections also applies to Local Government elections nationwide. This has been made possible by the efforts of INEC arising from earlier discussions with FOSIECOM on the imperative of a model law to govern the conduct of Local Government elections across the country,” he added.

The INEC Chairman called on FOSIECOM to address the legal and financial challenges hindering their operations and to courageously protect the integrity and credibility of elections.

He stressed that true independence stems not only from statutory or financial provisions but also from the commitment to uphold democratic principles.

“I therefore appeal to FOSIECOM to take the bull by the horns. While there are legal and financial constraints to your operations, your independence does not necessarily draw from statutory or financial provisions alone.

“The courage with which you discharge your obligation to protect the integrity and credibility of elections is the most important determinant of success. There are no shortcuts to the discharge of this enormous responsibility.

“I want to reassure you that INEC will continue to work with you to push the boundaries of electoral reform. Working together, we should continue to explore all avenues under the law to improve the conduct of Local Government Elections in Nigeria.

“However, you should always bear in mind that INEC and other stakeholders can only help you, but there must be a determination on your part to do the needful,” he noted.

It was reported on May 13, 2024, a former member of the House of Representatives, called for the transfer of conduct of local government elections from State Electoral Commissions to INEC.

Onuigbo said if INEC conducts local government elections, it would minimise the manipulation of the process by governors.