The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has expressed concern over the practice of coronating candidates of ruling parties instead of conducting proper Local Government elections in most states.
News About Nigeria reports that Yakubu made this statement during a meeting with executive members of the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions (FOSIECOM) at the INEC headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said there is a shared responsibility between INEC and FOSIECOM in conducting elections and acknowledged the challenges faced by State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) in carrying out their mandates.
Yakubu, however, encouraged FOSIECOM to take the lead in promoting credible elections, stating that INEC’s support is now largely restricted to providing the voters’ register as required by the Constitution.
Yakubu mentioned the challenges faced by SIECs, including lack of functional offices, inadequate funding, and limited independence. He noted that some SIECs are constituted only on the eve of elections and dissolved thereafter, leading to a lack of security of tenure and limited capacity for independent action.
The INEC Chairman appealed to FOSIECOM to take bold steps to protect the integrity and credibility of elections, despite legal and financial constraints. He emphasized that the courage to discharge their obligations is crucial to success.
Yakubu also mentioned the ongoing discussions about the future of Local Government elections and expressed hope that the elections conducted by INEC in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will serve as a model for other states.
He highlighted the progressive improvement in the conduct of Area Council elections in the FCT, including security of tenure for Chairmen and Councillors, regular elections, and plurality in electoral outcomes.
“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.
“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,” Yakubu said.
