By Ezeocha Nzeh and Myke Uzendu
Nigerians have continued to react to the recent Supreme Court ruling which granted 774 local government areas in Nigeria financial and political autonomy from the over bearing influence of state governors
In separate interviews with our correspondents, a cross- section of Nigerians were of the opinion that the supreme court judgement would only be effective if State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIEC) are scrapped and their functions taken over by an independent, impartial umpire such as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as it is the case with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area councils elections which are conducted by INEC
The current demand by stakeholders for the scrapping of the 36 SIEC have been blamed on the failure of State Independent Electoral Commissions to entrench credible local government elections.
Stakeholders insist that the credibility of the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) has lately been lost, adding that almost all the SIECs are appendages of their various state governments and constantly does the bidding of the governors who appointed them resulting in their failure to conduct credible local government elections.
The 1999 constitution mandates the SIECs to conduct elections in the third tier of government, while INEC is responsible for the six area councils in Abuja and other elections.
The call for the scrapping of the State election bodies which was recently renewed by attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Lateef Fagbemi, has received several endorsements, following the recent supreme court ruling that granted full autonomy to the local governments
Speaking recently at a forum in Abuja , Fagbemi also posited that the powers of SIECs should be transferred to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The discourse with the theme: ‘Nigeria’s Security Challenges And Good Governance At The Local Government Levels’ was organised by the house of representatives.
Recall that it was the minister, who on behalf of the federal government, dragged the 36 state governors to the supreme court where the landmark judgment on local government autonomy was delivered last week thursday
Fagbemi said governors have exploited the flaws in certain sections of the 1999 constitution, effectively rendering local governments powerless and irrelevant.
The minister said these inadequacies have allowed the governors to abuse the rights of local governments by using SIECs to impose leaders on them through sham elections.
He said other governors who do not conduct sham polls appoint vassals as caretaker leaders for the local governments.
He called for a robust constitutional amendment that will remove all hindrances to the development of local governments, and bolster their ability to fulfil constitutionally recognised mandate.
“To achieve this, many experts have proposed that there is need for the scrapping of the state independent electoral commission,” he said.
“Their functions and powers should be transferred to the independent national electoral commission because the state independent electoral commission remains an appendage to every incumbent governor.
“This is perceived as the root cause of the problem of local government administration in Nigeria.”
The federal government has dragged the 36 state governors to the supreme court over the age-long debate of full autonomy for local governments.
The attorney-general’s take comes just days after INEC berated SIECs for turning local government elections into mere coronation exercises.
“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,” Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, said.
“It is time to stop the coronation and conduct proper elections.”
Also, the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, recently raised concerns about the conduct of local government elections in the country by SIECs, describing the polls as mere coronations of ruling party’s candidates.
The INEC chairman, who spoke when he received the Forum of State Electoral Commission Chairmen, who were on a courtesy call to his office, noted that in some states, the commissions were only constituted shortly before elections and dissolved immediately afterwards, with critical functions often taken over by government officials. He highlighted the severe underfunding of SIECs, which forces them to rely on INEC for basic election materials like ballot boxes and voting cubicles.
Professor Mahmoud, who lamented that SIECs are only coronating candidates of state governors rather than conduction free and fair elections said, “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. It is time to stop the coronation and conduct proper elections, ” he said.
Yakubu urged the state governors to allow the SIECs to have greater capacity for independent action.
The Association of Local Government Organisation of Nigeria (ALGON) has hailed the Supreme Court judgment granting financial autonomy to local governments, but says it is only the beginning of the reforms needed to truly empower grassroots governance.
ALGON Board of Trustees chairman, Shaban Ohinoyi Shuaibu, who congratulated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi on the landmark Supreme Cort ruling on Local Government Areas autonomy, described it as a milestone and a step in the rebirth of democracy in Nigeria
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However, Shuaibu in a statement he issued on Sunday, expressed concerns on the actualization of the import of the judgment, noting that it is only the beginning of the reforms needed to truly empower grassroots governance.
The ALGON BoT chairman explained further that there are additional constitutional reforms that are necessary to decentralize power and ensure accountability at the local level.
He emphasized that to actualize the full import of the Supreme Court ruling, the government must scrap State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) and empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct uniform elections for the 774 local governments.
Shuaibu also called for the removal of sections 7 and 8 from the Constitution to streamline governance.
He said, “This is a commendable milestone, a win for the people of Nigeria, and a step towards decentralizing power. Additional constitutional reforms are necessary to decentralize power and ensure accountability at the local level.
“We urge the government to scrap State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECOMs) and empower the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct uniform elections for the 774 local governments.
“We also call for the removal of sections 7 and 8 from the Constitution to streamline governance.
“In preparation for this new era, we have ratified the engagement of Samuel Babatunde, MD/CEO of S&B Management and Accounting Solutions Ltd, as a financial expert and consultant to represent the 774 local governments in the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and manage their financial dealings.
“We appreciate President Tinubu’s political will and support in achieving this milestone and pledge to support the federal government in ensuring accountability at the local level.”
Joining in the call for the scrapping of SISCs across the states, the senator representing Delta South senatorial district, Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, said the recent Supreme Court land mark judgement on Local governments authority will not yield any dividend in the desired local government administration and development unless elections are conducted by an impartial electoral umpire.
The senator who spoke after Saturday’s local government area elections in Delta state strongly condemned the Delta State Independence Electoral Commission (DSIEC) for failing to release sensitive electoral materials, including result sheets and ballot papers, for the local government council elections.
Speaking in Emede, Isoko South, Delta State, Senator Joel-Onowakpo accused DSIEC of colluding with the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to deny citizens their fundamental right to vote, effectively rendering the election invalid.
The Senator in a statement released at the weekend by his Senior Special Adviser, Michael Emumena Paul, alleged that the PDP, aware of the All Progressives Congress’ (APC) readiness to take over local government affairs, conspired with DSIEC to manipulate the electoral process.
Senator Joel-Onowakpo lamented that the PDP-led government has once again undermined Delta State’s democratic heritage. “Democracy worldwide is about the will of the people, but DSIEC and the PDP have conspired to deny citizens their right to elect local government leaders. This is undemocratic and unacceptable.”
He emphasized that the non-release of sensitive materials constitutes electoral fraud and compromises the election’s integrity. The Senator advocated for local government autonomy and commended the Federal Government and Supreme Court for taking steps towards this goal. He stressed the need for constitutional amendment to transfer the power to constitute state electoral commissions from state governors to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Until INEC takes over local government elections, we cannot guarantee the true autonomy of the third tier of government,” he lamented
The call for the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commission (SEIC) has continued to gain momentum as some stakeholders has described it as rigging machinery for the executive governors.
Speaking exclusively with New National Star on the development, a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Elijah Afolabi, said that even as he is opposed to the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he supports the suits by the government that re-established financial autonomy to the local governments.
He said, “Local government autonomy has been long overdue. Scrapping the State Independent Electoral Commission is the best thing that will happen in this country. That will make the grass root enjoy the dividends of democracy if it is well managed.
“The local government chairman that will manage this money is also a Nigerian and I belive that he will have the fear of God to manage it adequately.
“Even as opposition, I don’t belive in the competence of the current President but in this one, I am in line with him
Also adding his voice, Alhaji Kabiru Magaji another stalwart of the opposition party said that since Nigerians are clamouring for the scrapping of SEICs, the onus is now on the President to grant their requests.
“I think the way others think that the state electoral commissions should be scrapped and for INEC to be conducting local government elections. I am in support of that”.
When asked if he believes that governors have an undue influence on SEICS he responded on the affirmative saying, “I believe that that is why people are calling for the scrapping of state electoral commissions.”