The Chairman of the Separate Nationwide Electoral Fee, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, says the fee has incorrect constitutional energy to habits native executive elections aside from within the Federal Capital Space.
Yakubu mentioned this at the sidelines of a two-day induction retreat for INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners on Monday in Lagos.
The retreat is to arrange the RECs forward of the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states in September and November, respectively.
Reacting to the agitation in search of constitutional backing for INEC to be saddled with the accountability of accomplishing LG elections, Yakubu described it as ‘a constitutional matter’.
In keeping with him, until essential constitutional amendments are made, INEC will most effective proceed to organise nationwide and surrounding elections.
“The similar category of the Charter that establishes INEC additionally establishes the Situation Separate Electoral Fee and we can not to enter their tasks.
“It’s excellent for community to have interaction in advocacy for INEC to take care of the entire elections, however the Charter must be amended for that to occur.
“For now, INEC can most effective habits the native executive elections within the Federal Capital Space with six department council chairmen and 62 councillors.
“And it’s within the FCT, the habits of council elections has been usual and we’re happy with what we’ve got finished to the most productive of our capability.
“So, we’re inspired by means of what we’ve got finished, however as for taking on the LG elections within the states, the charter must be amended, and we don’t seem to be there but,’’ Yakubu mentioned.
The Information Company of Nigeria reviews that some Nigerians are canvassing for the official separation of the SIECs within the ongoing constitutional modification, to pave the way in which for INEC to take care of native executive elections.
The proponents imagine that surrounding governors are hijacking native councils’ allocation because of irregularities within the habits of the LG polls.
The Legal professional Normal of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), in March this era referred to as for the scrapping of SIECs.
Fagbemi mentioned that SIEC’s serve as must be transferred to INEC, to safeguard self government and transparency within the consequence of native executive elections within the nation.
In the meantime, the INEC Chairman mentioned the retreat used to be to arrange the impaired and brandnew RECs for the elections coming forward.
Yakubu emphasized the retreat’s function now not most effective in inducting brandnew RECs but in addition in reviewing and embellishing INEC’s operational features.
He mentioned, “Lately’s retreat is held towards the background of impending governorship elections in Edo Situation within the upcoming 81 days and Ondo Situation within the 137 days.
“As well as, there are 5 pending bye-elections for Babura/Garki Federal Constituency of Jigawa Situation and 4 Situation constituencies: Khana II of Rivers Situation, Bagwai/Shanono of Kano Situation, Zaria Kewaye of Kaduna Situation and Ganye of Adamawa Situation. Those exceptional bye-elections deliver the whole of such elections to fourteen because the creation of the nationwide and surrounding assemblies in June latter era.
“Taking a look ahead, there are 4 primary elections sooner than the upcoming normal elections in 2027. The Anambra Situation Governorship election upcoming era might be adopted in 2026 by means of the Ekiti and Osun Situation governorship elections and, I should remind you when you omit, the Department Council elections within the Federal Capital Space.
“Therefore, as we think, reflect and innovate for credible elections, we are also instantly implementing the reforms and innovations that we can introduce by administrative action. Since the election is a process governed by law, we also plan to intensify our engagement with the National Assembly for activities that require legal reform.”
The INEC Chairman wired the worth of coaching and equipping the brandnew RECs with the information and abilities required to successfully deal with the later polls.
“As new RECs, we should focus on how we can acquaint ourselves more with the processes and procedures of the commission. For the veterans, we should leverage our privileged field experience to contribute how to mitigate recurring challenges in the areas of pre-election and post-election litigation, operational issues, especially in the area of logistics, an improvement on voter education processes, issues of strategic communication and combating fake news, misinformation and disinformation as well as inclusivity in the electoral process, voter registration, allotting voters to polling units, the role of technology from pre-election activities to Election Day processes, political party issues, mainly arising from leadership crisis and the management of party primaries, the recruitment and training of election duty officials, election security and our code of conduct.”
He underscored the fee’s constancy to truthful and credible polls.
The PUNCH reviews that 9 of the RECs had been sworn in on December 12, 2023 age one used to be sworn in on January 30, 2024.
They had been deployed as follows: Abubakar Pawa, Kebbi; Abubakar Ahmed, Borno; Dr. Anugbum Onuoha, Edo Situation; Ehimeakhe Shaka Isah, Akwa Ibom; Aminu Idris, Kaduna; Mohammed Abubakar, Kwara; Oluwatoyin Babalola, Ondo; Olubunmi Omoseyindemi, Ekiti; Etekamba Umore, Delta; and Shehu Wahab, Nasarawa.