The House of Representatives has initiated a process to transfer the authority to conduct local government elections from State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). A bill proposing this change passed its first reading last Thursday.
Titled “A Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act, 2022 to vest INEC with the power to conduct Local Government Council Elections and for Related Matters,” the bill is sponsored by Ikenga Ugochinyere, representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency, and 24 other lawmakers. It seeks to modify Section 98 (1) of the Electoral Act to grant INEC sole responsibility for conducting local government elections across Nigeria.
Currently, the law allows INEC to supervise elections only at the federal and state levels, with SIECs responsible for local elections. However, many lawmakers and advocacy groups have voiced concerns over state governors’ influence on SIECs, leading to calls for INEC to oversee local government elections to ensure greater transparency and fairness.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has expressed the commission’s readiness to take on the task, contingent upon the National Assembly amending the existing laws. Yakubu assured lawmakers that INEC is fully capable of managing local government elections alongside its current responsibilities for national and state elections.
The proposed bill represents a significant shift in Nigeria’s electoral system, with advocates arguing that it will bolster the integrity of local governance by reducing political interference.
