The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it has no constitutional power to conduct Local Government elections except in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said this on the sidelines of a two-day induction retreat for the commission’s Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Lagos on Monday, July 1, 2024.
Reacting to the agitation seeking constitutional backing for INEC to be saddled with the responsibility of conducting local government elections, Yakubu described it as a constitutional matter.
He stated that unless necessary constitutional amendments were made, the commission would only continue to organise national and state elections.
The INEC boss said: “The same section of the constitution that establishes INEC also establishes the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) and we cannot take over their duties.
“It is good for people to engage in advocacy for INEC to take charge of the whole elections, but the constitution has to be amended for that to happen.
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“For now, INEC can only conduct the local government elections in the Federal Capital Territory with six area council chairmen and 62 councillors.
“And it is in the FCT that the conduct of council elections has been regular and we are proud that the conduct of the elections there has been done to the best of our capacity.
“So, we are encouraged by what we have done, but as for taking over the state elections, the constitution has to be amended, and we are not there yet.”
Some Nigerians have recently been canvassing for the dissolution of SIEC in the ongoing constitutional amendment to pave way for INEC to take charge of local government elections.
The proponents believe that state governors were hijacking local councils’ allocation due to irregularities in the conduct of the LG polls.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), in March 2024, called for the scrapping of SIEC.
Fagbemi said SIEC’s function should be transferred to INEC, to ensure independence and transparency in the outcome of LG elections in the country.
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