YIAGA Africa has urged the National Assembly not to accede to calls for the scrapping of State Electoral Commissions (SIECs), saying doing so would undermine the decentralisation of governance.

Samson Itodo, Yiaga’s executive director, said this in a statement on Friday.

According to him, this proposal is fundamentally flawed and, if implemented, will have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s democracy.

Mr Itodo said that among many of the adverse effects of tampering with SIECs, it would be an added burden to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which could lead to poorly conducted local elections.

“Secondly, it undermines the autonomy of states guaranteed in the constitution, potentially leading to an over-concentration of power in the federal government.

“Thirdly, it weakens local democracy and citizens` participation as local communities will be stripped of the opportunity to participate in decision-making. In 2022, the National Assembly introduced a provision in the 2022 Electoral Act to regulate the procedure for LGA elections in a bid to salvage the integrity of local government elections.

“SIECs were compelled by the Act to conduct local elections in conformity with the procedures laid out in the 2022 Electoral Act,” Mr Itodo said.

He said states had since been updating electoral laws to conform with the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.

Mr Itodo said INEC’s current mandate is extensive and demands substantial resources and attention.

“Adding the responsibility of conducting local government elections would further strain the Commission, potentially leading to administrative inefficiencies and reduced effectiveness in managing electoral processes.

“Undoubtedly, SIECs have been underwhelming since the return to democracy in 1999 due to capture by state governors, weak or ineffective legal framework, underfunding and limited election administration capabilities.

“These factors have resulted in poorly conducted and flawed local council elections. Rather than scrap SIECs, the National Assembly and executive should consider implementing stricter sanctions or legislation that criminalise dissolution of local government councils,” he said.

Mr Itodo said this could also include withholding federal allocations to states that failed to conduct local government elections or guarantee the operational and financial independence of SIEC, among other measures.

The Yiaga boss said abolishing SIECs was not a solution to flawed local government elections. He added that addressing the underlying issues and strengthening SIECs through legal and institutional reforms would enhance local democracy and preserve the integrity of LGA elections.

(NAN)