The Chairman, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Dantalle, has called for the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), arguing that only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should conduct elections.
Dantalle made this call during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Friday, saying the move is part of IPAC’s recommendations to INEC for electoral reforms.
“Many recommendations were made by Nigerians. But the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), in particular, some of our recommendations include the scrapping of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) so that INEC conducts all elections at all levels,” the IPAC chief said on the breakfast show.
Citing the council elections in the FCT conducted by INEC, Dantalle said, “no political party takes it all”.
“But for all the elections conducted at the state by SIEC, the sitting governor of that state determines who becomes what.
“There is no contest, so this has to change, and this is largely responsible for some of the socio-economic ills in the country,” he said.
He explained that, “Nigerians are not allowed to vote the people, or they do not have the opportunity to vote the people that they really know and trust to rule them at the councillorship and local government chairmanship level.”
“This must change so it’s an appeal to all of us to come together to make this country democratic space better,” he said
While admitting that there “are bad elements” in INEC, that does not invalidate the impact of the commission.
“We have also been urging the Independent National Electoral Commission to fish out the bad elements in INEC found wanting in the anomalies in the electoral process and get them prosecuted,” the IPAC chairman said.
“Also, we are urging the National Assembly to look into the recommendations and proposals made by all stakeholders in respect of the constitution and the electoral act amendment.”
(Channels Tv)
