BREAKING: INEC Ready To Conduct Local Government Elections – Yakubu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has stated that the commission is fully equipped and ready to organise local government elections.

Speaking on Thursday, July 25, before the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, Yakubu addressed the commission’s readiness for the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States and emphasised INEC’s capacity to manage local government elections as well.

Prof. Yakubu highlighted that INEC is capable of conducting local government elections effectively, provided the legal framework is amended to assign this duty to the commission.

He pointed out that INEC has successfully managed area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which have not encountered the typical challenges associated with local government elections.

Yakubu outlined several benefits of INEC overseeing these elections, including the regularity of elections, stability of tenure, and the absence of caretaker committees, which are prevalent in state-run elections.

Additionally, he noted that INEC’s impartiality ensures no single political party has dominated all seats in FCT elections, unlike in some states.

The chairman asserted that transferring the responsibility of local government elections to INEC would strengthen democratic practices in Nigeria.

However, he emphasised that such a change would require constitutional amendments to shift this responsibility from state electoral commissions to INEC.