How to perfect local government autonomy in Nigerian system

• The National Assembly has been urged to consider allowing INEC to conduct the local government elections in Nigeria
• Barrister Oladotun Hassan made the call in an interview with Legit.ng, while reacting to the proposed bill seeking the creation of a local government electoral commission
• Hassan also urged the National Assembly to allow local government elections to be conducted simultaneously with that of governors and presidency

Barrister Oladotun Hassan has told Legit.ng that the National Assembly's move to establish a local government electoral commission would not encourage free and fair elections at the local government level.

The President Yoruba Council Worldwide called on the Senate and House of Representatives to amend the law to accommodate the conduct of elections at the local government should be carried out by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Lawyer urges National Assembly to stop move to create LG electoral commission Photo Credit: @inecnigeria
Source: Twitter

He said:

"I believe this will be a duplication of duty. I don’t think creating separate local government electoral arms is necessary. It is better for INEC to be in charge of all elections in Nigeria, the federal, state, and local government, as well as the councillorship. And that election must be run simultaneously in order not to waste ballot papers and duplicate tenure. "The tenure of the local government chairmen should be retro-activated to commence within the lifespan of three years as the administration that is coming up. Local government elections should have been held a year before general elections, or they can keep it at the same for four years, but there must be a balance that as from the 2027 elections, local government elections should be conducted every four years by INEC."

According to Hassan, if there is a new electoral commission, the same procedure as the state electoral commission will be followed by the new electoral commission. This will then give room for the governors to manipulate the process.

He said:

"If the elections are conducted at the same time or period, a new leadership will commence. People will begin to gauge their capacity, and the consciousness and spirit of the election will be achieved. The citizens' commitment and consciousness will be equally achieved because, most times, local government elections conducted in states make some citizens lukewarm and lackadaisical about the election, even some don’t even remember the date of their local government elections. "At times, results are declared in favour of the state governor. No competition, no contest. But if the election is to be conducted by INEC, there will be international and local observers, and the momentum of conduct and campaigns will be simultaneous. "Everyone will be charged with the common course of development. You will be sworn in as a local government chairman, the same way the governor and president will be sworn in. Election must state with local government, then the governor and the president will follow. So, if you’re not prepared at the local level, you don’t come in at the national level. All elections will be localised."

Source: Legit.ng