The House of Representatives has initiated a process to transfer the authority to conduct local government elections from State Independent Electoral Commissions to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). A bill was introduced to amend the Electoral Act, proposing that INEC exclusively conduct Local Government Council Elections. The bill aims to replace the current provision in the Electoral Act with a new sub-section that grants this power to INEC.
Various groups and individuals, including lawmakers, have advocated for this change, expressing concerns about state governors’ influence over local governments. INEC has expressed its readiness to take on the responsibility of organizing local government elections if the necessary legislative amendments are made. INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, emphasized the commission’s capability to handle these elections once empowered by law, highlighting that INEC currently oversees various elections and is prepared to include local government elections in its mandate.