The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed its readiness to conduct local government elections, pending the amendment of the law to permit it to do so.
INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, assured the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters that the Commission has the capacity to handle local government elections. He cited the successful conduct of area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as evidence.
Yakubu highlighted the benefits of INEC handling local government elections, including regular elections, stability of tenure, and the absence of caretaker committees. He also noted that the FCT has never experienced a situation where one political party wins all seats, promoting democracy.
Yakubu emphasized that the Constitution must be amended to transfer the responsibility of conducting local government elections from state electoral commissions to INEC. He believes this would be a positive development for democracy.
The INEC Chairman appeared before the committee to discuss preparations for the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States. The Commission’s readiness to handle local government elections was a key point of discussion.
