Scrap SIECs over poor conduct of LG polls, group urges NASS

A non governmental organisation,  Advocate for Better Leadership and Sustainable Rural Development Initiative (ABLE SURD) has berated the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) over poor conduct of local government elections in the states.

The group, therefore, called for immediate scrapping of SIECs, urging NASS to enact a law to enable the Independent National Commission (INEC) take over the role.

The Director General of ABLE SURD, Comrade Destiny Madu, made the call on Thursday during a press conference in Abuja.

According to him, INEC should takeover the conduct of local government elections in the states, so as to ensure the credibility of elections at the local government level. 

“With what is happening across most of the local government areas, where local government elections’ outcomes are contested violently, we are afraid. It also means that that SIEC as presently constituted by governors, is not fit to organise free and fair elections. 

“For instance, in Rivers state, about three local government councils’ elections were rocked by alleged irregularities, resulting in open fracas between different contestants. 

“Eleme local government secretariat was set ablaze following alleged rigging of the recent local government election conducted in the state. 

“Also in some states, the same is true, with the governors-controlled party winning the elections from the ward level to local government level, mostly against the wishes of the people at the grassroots. 

“The State Independent Electoral Commissions has shown since 1999 that it is not capable of conducting credible, free and fair local government elections. 

“Has it the required muscle to be impartial, perhaps, we would have avoided what is playing out in some states in the name of election. But it has gotten it wrong from the beginning. 

While he appreciated the effort of President Tinubu’s administration in ensuring an independent and autonomous local government authorities, he warned that retaining the SIEC would thwart the efforts of the administration in freeing the local government administration from the grip of the governors. 

“This has been our well considered position since we envisioned SIEC to be  vulnerable to undue influence of state governments who want to install their preferred candidates. 

“SIEC is bound to compromise election outcomes, where the governors call the shots, but INEC can be an impartial independent umpire as a result of its experience of conducting elections nationwide as well as the credibility of the FCT Area Council elections organised by the INEC”, he insisted.