Participants at the ongoing 13th National Delegates Conference of the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) have called for the reform of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs).
The conference, which aims to critically analyse the challenges facing SIECs and propose workable solutions to strengthen local election administration, is supported by the European Union (EU)!through its Support to Democratic Governance in Nigeria (EU-SDGN) programme.
The delegates believed that such reforms will guarantee the independence of SIECs along with their financial and administrative autonomy, thereby strengthening their capacity to conduct credible elections.
Delivering the keynote address at the conference in Jos, Plateau State, Prof. Samuel Egwu analysed the three major proposals currently under discussion for addressing local government elections. He expressed support for the position that SIECs should be retained and reformed.
“There are three pathways that have been suggested for how to deal with issues around elections at the local government level,” he said. “One is to say there is nothing wrong with SIECs; all that is needed is reform. That is the position I support.
“I support the retention and strengthening of SIECs because we operate a federal polity. The imperative of federalism requires us to strengthen local rule, and there is no other way.
“The second option, which may seem attractive, is to transfer the power to conduct local elections to INEC. While this appears simple, it does not align with the logic of federalism.
“The third option, which some have proposed, is to set up a new bureau to oversee local government elections. However, this proposal has already suffered a premature end on the floor of the Senate. My point, therefore, is to respect federalism,” he added.
Prof. Egwu also pointed out that the conduct of elections in Nigeria is broadly challenging, and that both SIECs and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) face significant institutional hurdles. Therefore, he argued, there was no justification for abolishing one body while retaining the other without addressing the systemic challenges they both encounter.
Other speakers at the conference, including FOSIECON Chairman, Jossy Eze, INEC representative Dr. Oliver Agundu, Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State, and Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, all echoed the call for strengthening SIECs through targeted reforms.
Mr. Eze expressed disappointment that despite constitutional backing, SIECs are often under pressure to serve vested interests. He noted that while there are several bills before the National Assembly seeking to abolish SIECs or transfer their mandates, none appear to address the real issues.
“It is public knowledge that there are bills currently before the National Assembly, some seeking the abolition of SIECs, others proposing the establishment of new election management bodies, or the transfer of SIECs’ mandate,” Eze said. “However, I am unaware of any motion or bill aimed at understanding the challenges facing SIECs or providing reform-driven solutions to strengthen them.”
For his part, Governor Mutfwang of Plateau State weighed in on the ongoing debate, stating that the real issue was not whether to abolish SIECs but how to improve leadership recruitment and governance efficiency at the local level.
“The conversation should begin with how we recruit leaders in this country,” the governor said. “We must develop a strategy that helps us identify individuals who genuinely have the people’s interest at heart. Bad governance does not just undermine democracy. It leads to underdevelopment and the waste of public resources.
“Autonomy is masking the real issues. What we need to focus on is efficiency. As someone who has governed at the local level, I believe improving governance at that tier is essential.”
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