INEC must conduct LG polls to ensure transparency

A member of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Doguwa, has stressed the need for the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct local government elections to promote democracy at the grassroots level.

Doguwa who represents Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency, Kano State, made the call while addressing his constituents on Sunday in the ancient city.

In a statement made available to According Online on Monday, the lawmaker noted that until the relevant laws are reviewed, the third tier of government would continue to play little or no part in grassroots development, thus worsening rural-urban migration and its attendant challenges.

The statement read in part, “INEC is the only reliable electoral umpire. We must quickly review our electoral and constitutional laws to provide for INEC to conduct local council elections; otherwise, local council elections in Nigeria will continue to be a caricature of what they should be.”

Recall that on May 23, 2024, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu described local government elections as mere coronations of ruling party candidates and called for significant reforms to ensure fair and credible elections.

Yakubu who had expressed his concern during a courtesy visit by the executive members of the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions, accused State Governors of manipulating the exercise in favour of their respective political parties.

“Realising our shared responsibility for the conduct of democratic elections in Nigeria and the challenges faced by SIECs in carrying out their mandates, INEC encouraged the establishment of FOSIECOM in a genuine effort to foster partnership for credible elections in Nigeria.

“Unfortunately, the conduct of local government elections in virtually all the states of the federation has become mere coronation of candidates of the ruling parties. It is time to stop the coronation and conduct proper elections.

“In some states, the SIECs are either not properly constituted, have no security of tenure or their critical functions have been taken over by government officials. Some SIECs are only constituted on the eve of elections and dissolved thereafter.

“They are also severely under-resourced to the extent that some of them rely on INEC even for basic facilities such as ballot boxes and voting cubicles,” the INEC Chairman was quoted as saying.

Doguwa who chairs the House Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) also noted that only elections conducted by the electoral body would help deepen the nation’s democratic and enhance her electioneering system.

“Our electoral system, our constitutional instruments and our participatory democratic processes can only be guaranteed under elections conducted by the INEC.

“It will further entrench the philosophical wisdom of the recent supreme court’s pronouncement and judgement on the autonomy of the third tier of government in Nigeria,” Doguwa added.

The All Progressives Congress chieftain called on Nigerians to be patient with the President Bola Tinubu-led administration, noting that in no distant time, the gains of the pain they are currently suffering will give away to economic and social prosperity.

He said, “The government made it clear from the beginning that the journey to make Nigeria great was not going to be an easy ride. We cannot deny the truth that things are difficult for us as a people.

“What is important is that very soon, this pain will birth prosperity on the economic and social fronts. The government has taken bold steps in making investments in agriculture and critical infrastructure.

“You will agree with me that the cost of foodstuff is gradually going down. Insecurity is being addressed with our gallant troops recording significant victories against insurgents.

“The government of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu is essentially about Nigeria and Nigerians. I plead with us to support it irrespective of our different political affiliations,” he pleaded.