Why INEC Should Conduct All Elections In Nigeria – Festus Okoye Discloses

A erstwhile National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC) astatine the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Barrister Festus Okoye, has shared his sentiment connected the necessity of amending Nigeria’s Constitution to empower the nationalist electoral assemblage to oversee each elections successful the country.

Okoye, successful a caller treatment with journalists, noted that determination are presently 37 electoral absorption bodies operating successful Nigeria.

He listed the electoral absorption bodies to see the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the 36 State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs).

Okoye clarified that some the INEC and the SIECs were established nether Sections 153 and 197 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

“Their respective authorities are outlined successful Parts I & II of the Third Schedule of the Constitution,” he noted.

The erstwhile electoral serviceman highlighted that the Nigerian Constitution grants INEC the authorization to organize, conduct, and oversee each elections for the offices of the president and vice-president, governors and lawman governors of states, arsenic good arsenic for the Senate, House of Representatives, and the House of Assembly successful each state.

Additionally, helium noted that INEC is liable for registering governmental parties successful accordance with law provisions and applicable National Assembly legislation, monitoring the activities and finances of these parties, conducting yearly audits of their funds and accounts, and publishing reports connected these audits for nationalist awareness.

The Commission is besides tasked with conducting Area Council elections successful the Federal Capital Territory.

Conversely, Okoye referenced the Constitution, which intelligibly states that the SIECs are empowered to organize, conduct, and supervise each elections for section authorities councils wrong their respective states.

“They are besides authorized to supply indispensable proposal to INEC regarding the compilation of the elector registry arsenic it pertains to section authorities elections wrong the state,” Okoye told Daily Trust erstwhile asked astir his thoughts astir INEC’s claims that it tin behaviour elections astatine each levels.

He added: “It is important to fortify Nigeria’s ideology and warrant the continued beingness of the section governments. The national and authorities governments indispensable debar policies, programmes and practices that endanger the continued beingness of the section governments. I hold with the Supreme Court of Nigeria that it is unconstitutional and amerciable to power the beingness and finances of the section governments successful a mode that renders them useless.

“At present, it is amended to integrate the functions of the SIECs into those of the INEC to signifier 1 cardinal predetermination absorption assemblage for the country. The Commission (INEC) tin grip the further load of conducting elections successful 10,000 caller constituencies. It is advisable to make an Electoral Offences Commission and divest the Commission of the load of prosecuting electoral offenders.”

Should SIECs Be Scrapped?

When asked to talk connected whether the SIECs should beryllium scrapped, Okoye said: “The advocacy for the scrapping of the SIECs has a history. The Electoral Reform Committee (ERC) (2008) (otherwise known arsenic the Justice Uwais Committee) recommended that astatine the authorities level, the State Independence Electoral Commission (SIEC) should beryllium re-organised and incorporated wrong the operation of the INEC to signifier a azygous predetermination absorption assemblage for the country. The state-level secretariat of INEC should dwell of 37 Directors of Elections, 1 for each state, and the FCT, appointed by INEC, trained and posted to states different than their states of origin. These directors should beryllium vocation officers and non-partisan persons of integrity.

The Constitution and Electoral Reform Committee (CERC) (April 2017) was acceptable up by the national authorities to, among different things, urge measures required to amended the electoral process and deepen ideology successful Nigeria. It recommended the scrapping of SIECs and the transportation of their functions to INEC. The committee besides recommended an amendment of the Constitution to see a proviso that INEC shall not beryllium taxable to the directive oregon power of immoderate different authorization oregon idiosyncratic successful performing its functions.”

The erstwhile INEC authoritative expressed that maintaining 37 electoral absorption bodies successful Nigeria is an inefficient usage of resources.

Okoye emphasized that consolidating the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) into a single, centralized predetermination absorption authorization would beryllium a logical, efficient, and prudent approach.

This integration, according to Okoye, would trim redundancy successful staffing, streamline predetermination technology, and optimize the usage of electoral materials.

Furthermore, helium said this would heighten and uphold standards, instilling assurance successful those seeking elective positions wrong section government.

Okoye reflected connected his acquisition arsenic a subordinate of the Electoral Reform Committee, besides known arsenic the Justice Uwais Committee, during which helium travelled crossed the federation to stitchery insights from a divers scope of Nigerians, including politicians, civilian nine representatives, accepted and spiritual leaders, and different cardinal stakeholders.

According to him, the concerns raised during that play proceed to resonate, fueling ongoing calls for the dissolution of the State Independent Electoral Commissions.

He besides noted his relation arsenic a Civil Society delegate astatine the 2014 National Conference.

The aforesaid topics, helium said, emerged during the National Conference discussions. He argued that merging the SIECs with INEC would not undermine the principles of federalism; rather, it would bolster ideology astatine the grassroots level and supply anticipation to the Nigerian populace.

He asserted that each federation indispensable tailor its governance structures to suit its unsocial context, cautioning against the rigid exertion of federalist principles that whitethorn not beryllium due for Nigeria.

The station Why INEC Should Conduct All Elections In Nigeria – Festus Okoye Discloses appeared archetypal connected Naija News.