Yiaga Africa, a leading civil society organization focused on promoting democratic governance in Nigeria, has expressed concerns over the increasing calls for the abolition of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) and the transfer of the responsibility of conducting local government elections to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to Yiaga Africa, this policy proposal is fundamentally flawed and could have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s 25-year-old democracy if implemented.
Yiaga Africa argues that the abolition of SIECs contravenes the constitutional principle of state autonomy, as enshrined in the Constitution.
A statement issued by the Executive Director, Samson Itodo, Yiaga said by centralizing the conduct of local government elections under INEC, the proposal undermines the federal structure of the country and erodes the autonomy of the states, potentially leading to an overconcentration of power at the federal level.
“This would weaken the states’ capacity for self-governance and hinder the demand for local government autonomy, which enjoys national consensus,” Yiaga Africa said.
Furthermore, Yiaga Africa highlights the extensive mandate of INEC and the burden it already faces in conducting various elections, such as off-cycle governorship elections, bye-elections, and re-run elections.
“Adding the responsibility of conducting local government elections would further strain the Commission and potentially lead to administrative inefficiencies and reduced effectiveness in managing electoral processes.
“This excessive burden could compromise the integrity of elections, violating the fundamental right to free and fair elections as guaranteed by the Constitution,” Yiaga said.
While acknowledging the underwhelming performance of SIECs since the return to democracy in 1999, Yiaga Africa asserts that abolishing SIECs would not address the underlying causes of flawed local government elections.
“Instead, the organization suggests implementing stricter sanctions or legislation that criminalizes the dissolution of local government councils.”
Additionally, Yiaga Africa recommends guaranteeing the operational and financial independence of SIECs and enacting a robust legal framework for their activities, including guidelines for conducting elections, dispute resolution procedures, and penalties for electoral misconduct.
Yiaga Africa calls for constitutional amendments to explicitly safeguard the operational, administrative, and financial independence of SIECs, ensuring that their power to make rules and regulate procedures is not subject to the approval or control of governors.
“The organization also urges the clarification of the tenure of Local Government Chairmen and councilors to minimize arbitrary dissolutions of local governments by Governors supported by state legislatures. Furthermore, Yiaga Africa advocates for additional mechanisms for equitable devolution of power to state and local governments, including laws that empower local governments with greater administrative and fiscal autonomy,” the CSO said.
To enhance the quality of election administration at the state level, Yiaga Africa recommends that SIECs invest in capacity development.
“This includes training for electoral officers, acquisition of modern electoral technologies, and improvement of administrative processes. The organization also calls on political parties, civil society organizations, and media organizations to conduct extensive voter education and civic engagement initiatives at the local level to encourage citizen participation in local government elections.
