Why state electoral bodies cannot be scrapped – INEC chairman

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu yesterday said state electoral bodies cannot be scrapped because they have a role to play in strengthening democracy in the country. Speaking during the commission’s meeting with the forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) led by its chairman, Justice Igbozuruike Akomas, […]

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Mahmood Yakubu yesterday said state electoral bodies cannot be scrapped because they have a role to play in strengthening democracy in the country.

Speaking during the commission’s meeting with the forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) led by its chairman, Justice Igbozuruike Akomas, the INEC boss also called for the enactment of new and modern laws for the smooth conduct of local government elections in the country.

Apparently reacting to calls for the scrapping of the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs), Yakubu said the SIECs derived their mandates from the same section of the constitution that INEC derived its mandate from.

He said the commission would rather work with the SIECs to strengthen democracy in Nigeria and improve the conduct of elections in the country.

“We had cause to study some of the laws establishing SIECs and apart from the composition of the SIECs, it is next to nothing actually. So, it is important for the processes and procedures for the conduct of elections to be reviewed.

“We need model laws that will govern the conduct of local government elections in the country that draw considerably from the national electoral framework.

“The second is that the independence of the electoral commissions cannot be guaranteed if there is no financial independence. So whatever you can do to work together to ensure financial independence for the electoral commission, that would enormously help the conduct of elections in Nigeria,” he said.

The FOSIECON chairman, Justice Akomas, said the organisation is committed to the strengthening of democracy in the country and called for a quarterly meeting between FOSIECON and INEC.

At another event, the INEC chairman said the commission will save N300 million for scheduling the governorship and senatorial election rerun in Kogi on same day.

Speaking during the 2020 budget defence at the National Assembly, he said the fixing of the rerun for Kogi west senatorial district with the governorship poll will save the country N300m.