“Hot Off the Press: INEC Prepares for Local Government Elections – Yakubu Confirms”

Babatunji Wusu –

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), affirmed the commission’s readiness to conduct local government elections, stating that it is fully prepared for the task. Addressing the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on Thursday, July 25, Prof. Yakubu not only discussed INEC’s readiness for the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States but also underscored its capability to effectively manage local government elections.

He highlighted that INEC has demonstrated competence in overseeing elections at the area council level in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which have been notably free of the usual challenges associated with local government elections. Prof. Yakubu advocated for amending the legal framework to empower INEC to handle local government elections nationwide, pointing out benefits such as election regularity, tenure stability, and the absence of caretaker committees, common in state-managed elections.

Furthermore, he emphasized INEC’s impartiality, noting that unlike in some states where a single political party tends to dominate all seats, FCT elections have maintained a balanced representation. The chairman argued that centralizing local government elections under INEC’s purview would enhance democratic practices in Nigeria. However, he clarified that achieving this would necessitate constitutional amendments to transfer this responsibility from state electoral commissions to INEC.