Ogasabi and 9am news Nigeria report that Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has expressed the commission’s capability to conduct local government (LG) elections successfully if required by law. This statement comes two weeks after the Supreme Court of Nigeria granted financial autonomy to local governments.
Ogasabi and 9am news Nigeria highlight that Yakubu presented the budget for the Ondo and Edo off-cycle elections on Thursday before the Joint National Assembly Committee on Electoral Matters. He raised concerns about how the nation will fund its by-elections. Opposition parties have criticized the way state governments currently conduct LG elections, where the ruling parties control all chairmanship seats.
Yakubu clarified that with necessary changes to certain electoral law provisions, INEC could easily conduct elections for the 774 local government (LG) areas. Currently, INEC conducts elections for national and state government positions and the 62 wards of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area councils without issues.
In preparation for the governorship elections in Edo on September 21, 2024, and Ondo on November 16, 2024, Yakubu emphasized the technological advancements made by the commission. He dismissed claims that INEC had learned from past mistakes, pointing to regular technical issues with the Result Viewing (IReV) webpage during the 2023 presidential election.
Furthermore, Yakubu assured that the administration has promised funds for the seven by-elections under consideration, so INEC has no concerns about funding off-cycle elections. He also urged legislators to approve the Electoral Offenders Bill, which would empower the commission to make arrests, conduct in-depth investigations into electoral offenses, and reduce election malpractice.
Ogasabi and 9am news Nigeria will continue to follow this story and provide updates on any developments regarding INEC and the upcoming elections.
