INEC to SIECs: You’ve turned LG polls to coronations

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says state independent electoral commissions (SIECs) should conduct proper elections instead of simply crowning candidates.

Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, said this on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by the forum of state independent electoral commissions (FOSIEC) in Abuja.

Yakubu said INEC encouraged the establishment of FOSIEC in a genuine attempt at fostering partnerships for credible elections in Nigeria, while encouraging SIECs to maintain their independence.

He said INEC also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to provide assistance in the form of training and provision of some facilities to the SIECs.

He said these initiatives were undertaken in the firm belief that by working together, the 36 SIECs will leverage on the experience of INEC for a progressive improvement in the conduct of LGA elections in Nigeria.

“Unfortunately, the conduct of local government elections in virtually all the states of the federation has become mere coronation of candidates of the ruling parties,” he said.

“It is time to stop the coronation and conduct proper elections.

“State governors should allow the SIECs to have greater capacity for independent action.

“Many of the SIECs have no functional offices in the local government areas in their states and cannot recruit their own permanent staff.

“In some states, the SIECs are either not properly constituted, have no security of tenure or their critical functions have been taken over by government officials.

“Some SIECs are only constituted on the eve of elections and dissolved thereafter. They are also severely under-resourced to the extent that some of them rely on INEC even for basic facilities such as ballot boxes and voting cubicles.

“Consequently, many Nigerians mistake the SIECs for INEC. Indeed, even some of the stakeholders, including candidates for local government elections, call them state INEC.”

Yakubu said the situation has compelled INEC “to reconsider some aspects of our relationship with the SIECs”, adding that the commission’s support is now largely restricted to the voters’ register as provided by the constitution.

“INEC cannot shoulder its own extensive responsibilities and at the same time extend almost limitless support to other independent electoral commissions — for elections outside our mandate across the country from our lean federal budget,” the statement reads.