LGA autonomy: IPAC wants state electoral commissions scrapped

The State Independent Electoral Commissions, SIECs, should be abolished right away, according to a call made by the Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC.

IPAC’s national chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, made the argument during a news conference in Abuja on Friday. He claimed that the SIECs had shown themselves to be inept and unable to hold free, fair, credible, transparent, inclusive, and peaceful elections.

He claims that state electoral bodies have devolved into little more than extensions of different government buildings.

“SIECs do not have voter registers, BVAS, IReV portals, ballot boxes, etc, essential in conducting credible polls.

“INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu rightly described Local Government elections as coronation of candidates of the ruling political parties.

“The State Independent Electoral Commission is a dent on the nation’s hard-earned democracy. It is time to stop the charade called SIEC elections if we
are serious and determined to deepen democracy in Nigeria.

“To restore confidence in the electoral process, INEC should be empowered and mandated to conduct all the Local Governments elections in Nigeria.

“Politics is local, citizens should be encouraged to actively participate in grassroots politics and contribute in building a better society. Nigerians desire and deserve credible elections as sovereignty resides in the people.”

IPAC demanded that the Supreme Court’s ruling be put into effect immediately and tasked local government chairmen with returning the favour by wisely allocating funds to address the problems that ordinary Nigerians face.

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