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In order to facilitate the holding of legitimate elections, the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) has suggested that State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) be granted complete financial autonomy.

The Forum asked SIECs to “embark on regular public engagements with election stakeholders across the 768 local government areas” in order to address growing concerns about misinformation and unfavorable public perception.

Following FOSIECON’s 13th National Delegates’ Conference (NDC), which took place in Jos, Plateau State, from May 20–25, 2025, a communiqué was released with these suggestions.

The Forum characterized the suggested steps as an essential step in enhancing their capacity to fulfill their constitutional obligations in a communiqué released Monday and jointly signed by National Chairman Barr. Jossy Eze and National Secretary Associate Professor Joseph Aremo.

“Improved autonomy is the foundation for restoring public trust in the conduct of local government elections,” the communique said.

According to Eze, these actions would contribute to increasing public trust in SIECs’ ability to carry out transparent and reliable surveys.

They also emphasized how important individuals and political parties are to strengthening democratic accountability.

According to the communiqué, “Political parties, as the only platforms for nominating candidates for elections, should evolve mechanisms that support the emergence of leadership with proven integrity.”

In order to foster accountability, the Forum also urged voters to “consistently monitor and assess the performance of their elected representatives in order to promote accountability”.

The communique suggested expanding the legal and institutional frameworks that have reinforced INEC’s operations to include SIECs, building on current electoral reforms. It pointed out that this would allow for more efficient and uniform performance at the state level.

On legislative reform, FOSIECON, urged state houses of assembly to “adopt the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 regarding the procedure for conducting Area Council elections.” Doing so, it said, would “help ensure uniformity and certainty in the conduct of local government elections.”

Eze and Aremo claim that in order to promote voter education and civic engagement, SIECs would be encouraged to strengthen their collaborations with civil society organizations and development partners.

“All politics is local,” the communiqué read,“and it is essential that SIECs become not just administrators of elections but champions of civic competence.”

The Forum dismissed attempts to abolish SIECs, calling them “mischievous and anti-federalist.”

It maintained that SIECs are still protected by the constitution and are essential to the advancement of democracy in Nigeria. Caleb Mutfwang, the governor of Plateau State, and Abdullahi Sule, the governor of Nasarawa State, both attended the conference as special guests and openly endorsed this stance.

With the theme “Local Government Elections in Nigeria: Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities,” the conference included academics, civil society members, and important electoral stakeholders from all 36 states. Attendees included representatives from the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), Development Alternatives Incorporated (DAI), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the European Union Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) program.

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