LGA autonomy: IPAC wants state electoral commissions scrapped

The Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, has called for immediate scrapping of the State Independent Electoral Commissions, SIECS.

Making the advocacy during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, IPAC’s national Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, said the SIECs have proven to be incompetent and incapable of conducting free, fair, credible,
transparent, inclusive and peaceful elections.

According to him, the states electoral bodies have become mere appendages of various government houses.

“SIECs do not have voter registers, BVAS, IReV portals, ballot boxes, etc, essential in conducting credible polls.

“INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu rightly described Local Government elections as coronation of candidates of the ruling political parties.

“The State Independent Electoral Commission is a dent on the nation’s hard-earned democracy. It is time to stop the charade called SIEC elections if we
are serious and determined to deepen democracy in Nigeria.

“To restore confidence in the electoral process, INEC should be empowered and mandated to conduct all the Local Governments elections in Nigeria.

“Politics is local, citizens should be encouraged to
actively participate in grassroots politics and contribute in building a better society. Nigerians desire and deserve credible elections as sovereignty resides in the people.”

IPAC called for the immediate implementation of the Supreme Court judgment, and also charged local government chairmen to reciprocate the gesture by the judicious utilization of the resources to deal with issues confronting Nigerians at the grassroots.