Niger Assembly Demands Suspension Of LG Poll

Niger State House of Assembly yesterday asked the state government to stop the state Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) from conducting the scheduled local government election.

This was the resolution of the House after a motion presented by the member representing Bosso constituency in the House, Hon Malik Madaki who called on the House to direct NSIEC to suspend its intention to conduct local government election, due to non-compliance with the extant laws.

News Agency of Nigeria reported that the Speaker of the House Abdullahi Bawa had in his resolution urged the state government to direct NSIEC to suspend the scheduled timetable and comply with Section 20 of the Local Government Election Law, 2002 and Section 29 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

Earlier in his motion, Madaki said the tenure of the present council executives would expire on or before December 12. He said NSIEC recently published a timetable for the conduct of local government election in the state and the timetable scheduled parties’ primary election between Aug. 20 and 27, while the general elections fixed for Nov. 5.
The lawmaker explained that from August 27 to November 5, 2022 is 39 days between the date of primary election and the general election which was less than 180 days provided by the law.
He said the extant laws which provided for the conduct of council election law 2002 were the Electoral Act 2022, the Niger State Local Government Council Election Law 2002, the Niger State Local Government Law 2001.
Madaki said section 20 of the state local government elections law 2002 provided that council elections shall be in accordance with the provisions of the electoral Act, local government law and any regulations made under section 19 of the law.

He added that section 29 (1) of the Electoral Act 2002 provided that every political party shall not, in less than 180 days before the date for general election, submit to the commission the prescribed forms list of candidates who won primaries. Madaki said it was clear that NSIEC would run foul of the law if it went ahead to conduct the council elections in the state as scheduled in the timetable.

The lawmaker, however, urged the house to direct NSIEC to suspend the scheduled timetable and comply with the local government election law and the electoral act.

He warned that the next president must avoid listening to clerics who have no national integration at heart, adding that for security solution, there is a need for a general overhaul to reflect the security challenges the nation is facing.