The Inter-Party Advisory Council has advocated for the immediate scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions, citing their incompetence and inability to conduct free, fair, and credible elections.
IPAC’s national Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, stated that SIECS have become mere appendages of government houses, lacking essential resources and infrastructure to conduct credible polls.
Dantalle quoted INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu’s description of Local Government elections as a “coronation of candidates” of ruling parties, emphasizing the need to stop the “charade” of SIEC elections to deepen democracy in Nigeria, according to Daily Post.
IPAC urged the empowerment and mandating of INEC to conduct all Local Government elections, promoting credible polls and encouraging citizens’ participation in grassroots politics.
Additionally, IPAC called for the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment and charged local government chairmen to utilize resources judiciously to address grassroots issues, reciprocating the gesture.
This move aims to restore confidence in the electoral process and ensure that sovereignty resides with the people.
“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,” he said.
