A new bill titled the “Local Government Independent Electoral Commission (Establishment) Bill, 2024” has sparked mixed reactions from civil society organizations and political stakeholders in Nigeria. The bill, sponsored by Senator Sani Musa (APC-Niger), proposes the creation of an independent agency responsible for conducting local government elections, currently managed by state independent electoral commissions as mandated by Section 197 of the Nigerian Constitution.
Some stakeholders, such as Labour Party chieftain Mr. Peter Ameh, support the idea, arguing that state electoral commissions are often manipulated by governors, undermining the fairness of local elections. He suggests that an independent body could better manage these elections.
However, others, like Mr. Jaiye Gaskiya of the Campaign for Transformative Governance, believe that expanding the mandate of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to handle local government elections would be a better solution, rather than creating a new agency. He and others, including Mr. Auwal Rafsanjani from the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), argue that establishing another electoral body could lead to duplication of efforts and increased costs.
Critics are calling for electoral and constitutional reforms that would make state electoral commissions more independent and ensure that existing institutions are strengthened to conduct free and fair elections.