Nigeria’s Electoral Commission Ready to Conduct Local Government Elections
In a bold move, the Chairman of Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu, has announced that the electoral body is capable of conducting local government elections if tasked with the responsibility by law. This declaration comes just two weeks after the Supreme Court granted financial autonomy to local governments in Nigeria.
Yakubu made this statement during his appearance before a Joint National Assembly Committee on Electoral Matters to present the Ondo and Edo off-cycle elections budget on Thursday. However, he also raised concerns about the funding for the country’s by-elections.
Currently, state governments organize local government elections in their respective domains, with the ruling parties sweeping the chairmanship seats of all local councils. This development has been met with opposition from opposition parties.
Mahmood explained that INEC can conduct local government elections across the country’s 774 local government areas with amendments to certain provisions of the electoral laws. The commission has already successfully conducted elections in the 62 wards of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area councils.
Yakubu also urged Nigerians to appreciate the significant technological improvements made by the commission, citing the recent governorship polls in Edo and Ondo states. He assured that the commission has learned from its mistakes, particularly in the 2023 presidential election, where frequent malfunctions of the INEC Result Viewing (IReV) portal led to concerns about voter confidence.
Furthermore, Yakubu expressed confidence that the commission has no funding concerns for off-cycle elections, as the executive has pledged to release funds for the seven by-elections. He also appealed to lawmakers to speedily pass the Electoral Offenders Bill, which would empower the commission to investigate electoral offenses and mitigate malfeasance.
As Nigeria moves forward with electoral reforms, Yakubu’s declaration sends a strong signal that INEC is prepared to take on the responsibility of conducting local government elections. The success of this move will depend on the commission’s ability to ensure free and fair elections, as well as the willingness of state governments to cede control over local government elections.
