INEC should not be made to conduct LG polls – Obono-Obla

Former presidential aide, Okoi Obono-Obla has cautioned that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should not be saddled with the task of conducting local government elections.

He has canvassed that the state Houses of Assembly enact laws to democratize the State’s Electoral Commissions and whittle down the overbearing influence of governors on them.

Recall that the Supreme Court of Nigeria on July 11, delivered a landmark judgment, restoring the full autonomy of local government and restricting state governors from accessing and applying the local government subvention.

The public analyst and lawyer said in a statement, “I do not support the proposition that INEC should be given the power to conduct local government council elections in the country.

He said INEC is a federal agency bestowed with the power to conduct Presidential, National Assembly, Gubernatorial and state assembly elections and should remain so.

“The fear that the restoration of the autonomy of local government councils by the Supreme Court would be rendered nugatory and otiose by States governors by manipulating the states electoral commissions to rig candidates handpicked by them is plausible but that shouldn’t be the only reason to demand that a federal agency such as INEC should not be saddled with the responsibility to conduct local government councils elections.

“Nigeria operates a federal system and therefore the federal government that is already vested with so many responsibilities should not be further burdened.

“We cannot be clamouring for restructuring and devolution of power from the federal government to the states and at the same time be asking for an increase of federal power.”

Obono-Obla wants the state Assemblies to enact laws stripping governors of the power to appoint members of the States Electoral Commissions, advocating that such powers be vested in political parties and civil society.