The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has condemned the proposed bill by the Senate to create the local government Independent Electoral Commission sponsored by Senator Sani Musa.
The umbrella body of all registered political parties in Nigeria in a statement by its national publicity secretary, Mrs Chinyere Ogeh Kalu in Abuja yesterday, said the move was unacceptable and unnecessary, as it would lead to duplication of functions and waste of public funds.
It said creating another commission would not address the challenges faced in conducting local government elections, saying instead, it would lead to unnecessary duplication of efforts and resources.
It noted that the proposed commission would still rely on INEC’s voter register, IREV, BVAS, ballot boxes and other resources to conduct a successful election.
It said rather than creating another commission, “We should focus on building the capacity of INEC to conduct free, fair, and transparent elections at the local level. This is especially crucial at a time when the government is grappling with limited resources to cater to the welfare of citizens.”
IPAC urged the senate to reconsider this proposed bill and prioritise the strengthening of INEC to deliver credible elections at all levels.
