PeakNews Online
The Nigerian Senate has launched a new initiative to reduce the influence of state governors over local government councils.
This move comes just a week after the Supreme Court ruled that it is unconstitutional for state governments to manage funds designated for local governments.
The Senate has introduced a constitutional amendment bill to establish the National Independent Local Government Electoral Commission (NILGEC), which will oversee elections in the country’s 774 local government councils. The bill is sponsored by Senator Mohammed Sani Musa.
According to Musa, NILGEC will have the following responsibilities:
Conduct free, fair, and transparent elections for Local Government Chairman and Councillors.
Prepare and maintain an accurate and up-to-date voter register.
Ensure voter education and public awareness regarding the electoral process.
Set and enforce electoral guidelines and regulations for local government elections.
Recruit and train electoral officers and staff for efficient election management.
Monitor and supervise all electoral activities and processes.
Investigate and adjudicate electoral disputes and grievances.
The NILGEC will comprise a Chairperson and six Commissioners, appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. They will serve a five-year term, renewable once. The Commission will operate independently, with its budget approved by the National Assembly to ensure financial autonomy. NILGEC will also be responsible for developing voter registration procedures, candidate nomination, and the conduct of elections, and will announce the election schedule at least six months in advance.
Daily Sun reports that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu supports the bill, which aims to grant full independence to local governments. The Senate and House of Representatives leadership plan to lobby state assemblies to gain the necessary concurrence before the President signs the bill into law.
The proposed bill will amend Section 197 of the 1999 Constitution, which currently mandates state electoral commissions to conduct local government elections. These commissions are appointed by state governors and confirmed by state houses of assembly. The Supreme Court’s recent ruling affirmed the financial autonomy of Nigeria’s 774 local governments, allowing them to receive allocations directly from the Accountant-General of the Federation.
Justice Emmanuel Agim, delivering the Supreme Court’s lead judgment, emphasized the importance of financial independence for local governments, reinforcing their autonomy in the nation’s governance structure.
