INEC can conduct, sanitise LG polls – Yakubu

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, has affirmed that the electoral body can conduct local government elections in the country if provided with the necessary resources.

Citing the example of the Federal Capital Territory where INEC conducts the area council polls, Yakubu said if INEC got the responsibility to conduct LG polls, it would put an end to the use of caretaker committees to run LGs.

He made this statement on Thursday when he appeared before the National Assembly Joint Committee on INEC and Electoral Committees.

Responding to a question from members of the National Assembly joint panel on the commission’s stance regarding the Supreme Court verdict on financial autonomy for local government, Yakubu acknowledged calls for the unbundling of INEC or the creation of a new federal agency for conducting council polls.

However, he asserted that INEC, under his leadership, possessed the capacity, competence, human resources, and experience needed to conduct local government elections across Nigeria’s 774 councils.

He supported his position by citing the commission’s successes in the six Federal Capital Territory Area Councils and its frequent off-season and bye-elections.

Yakubu emphasised that INEC’s consistent conduct of federal and state elections is proof of its capability to manage council polls.

Yakubu stated, “So if this responsibility for the conduct of local government elections is transferred to INEC, can INEC cope? The answer is yes, INEC can cope. What are we? By definition, INEC is the Independent National Electoral Commission. Right now, we do national elections, state elections, and local government elections?

 “A national electoral commission may be expected to implement only the presidential and National Assembly elections. We also conduct governorship elections, state Assembly elections, and area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory. Our track record proves that we can do it. In the Federal Capital Territory, there are six area councils, 62 wards, and councillorship elections.

“This is one part of the country where INEC has conducted local government elections regularly, without caretaker committees, ensuring stability and security of tenure. The recent amendment to the Electoral Act provides a four-year tenure for area councils in the FCT.”

Yakubu noted that no single political party had won all the constituencies in the FCT, with the six chairmen evenly split between the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.

He highlighted that the FCT councils comprise urban and rural communities, demonstrating INEC’s adequate experience in conducting elections nationwide.

 He further stated, “So in terms of capacity to do it, we can do it, we have been doing it in the Federal Capital Territory.

“However, if the National Assembly decides to amend the Constitution, we need engagement with the National Assembly for certain amendments to handle additional responsibilities.

“For instance, will the Federal Government fund the elections for states and local governments? Alternatively, there is a proposition for a new federal electoral commission for local government elections. Some argue against state electoral commissions conducting local government elections in the spirit of federalism but should improve their conduct.”

Yakubu, who noted that the current Constitution created both INEC and state independent electoral commissions, said it was up to the National Assembly to amend the law to transfer that responsibility to INEC.

“If that is done, can INEC cope? Yes, we can,” he said.

However, Yakubu said INEC should not be unbundled beyond its electoral activities, suggesting that some responsibilities could be handled by other agencies, a point made by various committees since 2008, including the Justice Mohammed Uwais Commission.

Yakubu assured the joint panel that the commission had made adequate arrangements for the two off-cycle elections in Edo and Ondo states.

He also noted that INEC had prepared budgets for outstanding by-elections in seven federal and state legislative constituencies.

Additionally, he explained that the commission’s 2024 budget was being adequately funded by the Ministry of Finance, with monthly releases of N23.3bn out of the N40bn appropriated for the year.