The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) can comfortably manage local government elections if given the mandate, according to its Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
Prof. Yakubu made this assertion on Thursday, July 25, while addressing the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters about preparations for the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.
Yakubu emphasized that INEC possesses the capacity to oversee local government elections, but this responsibility can only be assumed if the law is amended to grant INEC the authority. He highlighted INEC’s experience in conducting area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which have been free from the issues typically associated with local government elections.
He outlined several advantages of INEC managing elections, including regular and timely elections, stability of tenure, and the absence of caretaker committees in the FCT. Furthermore, Yakubu noted that no single political party has ever won all the seats in FCT elections, unlike in state elections.
Yakubu concluded that entrusting INEC with local government elections would be beneficial for democracy, but reiterated that this change requires a constitutional amendment to transfer the responsibility from state electoral commissions to INEC.
