A United Kingdom (UK)-based Nigerian and Public Affairs commentator, Abanikanda Olumoro, has said that for a truly transparent and fair election to be achieved at the local government level, neither the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nor the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) should be involved in the exercise.
Olumoro gave this counsel in a statement, a copy of which was made available to newsmen on Wednesday, in reaction to former Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayode Fayose’s, statement that nobody can become local government chairman without the state governor’s input, following the Supreme Court’s recent verdict granting financial autonomy to all the 774 council administrations in the country.
The UK-based analyst faulted Fayose on the issue, saying that the former governor should keep his cool and stop interrupting judicial decisions, especially one that had been given a final ruling by the Apex Court in the country.
Olumoro warned that with the new dispensation, whoever rigged the election this time around “will be consumed by it.”
According to him, the candidates will ensure they defend their votes, saying that every candidate and their supporters would apply the Kano voters protection model to prevent what he termed “jibiti.”.
He maintained that Nigeria needed something new, saying that part of the requirements of Federalism was that none of the state governors needed to conduct elections for local governments.
The public analyst opined that conducting elections in LGAs would now attract quality professionals to participate fully in the exercise, noting that INEC had an image problem with the manner in which it handled past elections, with its credibility still in doubt.
“Nonsense. If you rig this time, you will be consumed by it. The candidates will defend their votes. Every candidate and their supporters will apply the Kano voters protection model. No more ‘jibiti’!
“We need something new. It is part of federalism. The governor does not need to conduct elections for Local Governments,” he said.
On the way to achieve transparent and fair conduct of elections in Nigeria without the interference or direct involvement of the federal and state institutions, Olumoro suggested the need to amend the 1999 Constitution to provide for Electoral Commissions with membership comprising representatives of the Civil Society, Labour, Teachers Union, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUU), Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and women organisations, among others.
According to him, others should include a representative each from the three (3) Senatorial Districts at the state level, all of whom must be people of unquestionable integrity and nonpartisan, saying that the appointment should be on a part-time basis since elections are not conducted all the time.
“We need something new. It is part of federalism. The governor does not need to conduct elections for local governments.
“I think conducting elections into LGAs will now attract quality professionals to participate fully in. Because INEC has an image problem with the manner in which it handled the past elections, transparency is still a continuing credibility doubt,” he said.
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