Why state electoral commissions can’t be scrapped – Yiaga Africa

Yiaga Africa has said that calls for abolition of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIEC) and transfer of the responsibility of conducting local government elections to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would have negative implications on Nigeria’s democracy if implemented.

In a statement yesterday, the executive director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, noted that the decision would be in contravention of the constitutional principle of state autonomy.

He said that apart from overstretching an overburdened INEC, leading to poorly conducted local elections, scrapping the SIECs would undermine the autonomy of states as guaranteed in the constitution, potentially leading to an over-concentration of power in the federal government.

He recalled that in 2022, the National Assembly introduced a provision in the 2022 electoral act to regulate the procedure for local government elections to salvage the integrity of the system.

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“SIECs were compelled by the Act to conduct local elections in conformity with the procedures laid out in the 2022 Electoral Act. States have since been updating electoral laws to conform with the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.

“The abolition of SIECs contravenes the constitutional principle of state autonomy. The constitution provides for a federal structure that ensures the devolution of powers to states,” he stated.