IPAC rejects bill to create LG electoral commission

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has rejected the proposed bill by the Senate to create a local government independent electoral commission.

Ms Chinyere Ogekalu, National Publicity Secretary of IPAC, in a statement yesterday said creating the commission will be a waste of resources.

Daily Trust reports that the bill seeking the creation of LG electoral commission was read on the floor of the Senate for the first time on Thursday last week, and is sponsored by Senator Sani Musa (APC, Niger East).

But IPAC said, “Creating another commission will not address the challenges faced in conducting local government elections. Instead, it will lead to unnecessary duplication of efforts and resources.

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“The proposed commission will still rely on INEC’s voter register, IREV, BVAS, ballot boxes, and other resources to conduct a successful election.

“Rather than creating another commission, we should focus on building the capacity of INEC to conduct free, fair, and transparent elections at the local level. This is especially crucial at a time when the government is grappling with limited resources to cater to the welfare of citizens.”

The council urged the Senate to reconsider the bill and prioritise the strengthening of INEC to deliver credible elections at all levels in the country.