A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Yiaga Africa committed to electoral reforms in Africa has kicked against the clamour to scrap State Electoral Commissions across the country saying that such agitation is not part of the call for local government autonomy.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC) Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak at the weekend, the Director of Yiaga Africa Samson Itodo charged the electoral umpire to be more concerned in conducting local government elections that pass the integrity test and the issue of LG autonomy.

“If you look across the country there is a clamour for scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions because local government elections have been a charade and a mockery of our entire democratic system. And all that is driven by several factors.

“State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECS) are not Independent, whether operational or financial independence. And this is an issue we have discussed consistently about how do we strengthen the independence of the SIECS. Of course, there are issues around capacity, but for us at YIAGA Africa our position is that we are completely opposed to the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions because we believe strongly that it is a deviation from the entire discussion on Local government autonomy.”

He noted that there are challenges with the Constitution and charged the National Assembly to examine the constitutional gaps which empower governors to dissolve democratically elected local government officials.

“It is important for the National Assembly to look at the gaps in our constitution that make it possible for governors to unilaterally and arbitrarily dissolve democratically elected local government councils, or that gives governors the leeway to withhold funding from State Independent Electoral Commissions because when you don’t have funding to conduct elections, it is one way to actually manipulate elections.”

“Our advocacy is to continue to urge state assemblies to urge the governors to provide the funding that is required for State Independent Election Commissions to conduct election. Election gives the citizens the opportunity to determine and make decisions at the local level because democracy ought to be felt at the local level. So there’s great need to do that, and we hope that the resources have been made available to you and the Commission to conduct election that meets the integrity test.”

He, however, charged Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC ) on free, fair and credible elections ahead of the October 26 council polls.

Itodo noted that there is more work to be done to strengthen the independence of State Electoral Commissions across Nigeria.

“Much work needs to be done to strengthen the independence of the State Electoral Commissions ( SIECS). Congratulations on the passage of the amended electoral Law. This Law despite some of the gaps that still exist, at least, to an extent gives the commission sort of latitude to conduct credible local government elections.

He said Yiaga Africa has received electoral guidelines for Akwa Ibom state local government elections and urged the electoral umpire to adhere to the provisions.

“We have also received the guidelines, the timetable and notice for your local government election in October. It is to say that Akwa Ibom State is demonstrating some level of leadership compared to other states where we don’t know whether local government election would hold.

“At least for Akwa Ibom State, we are delighted that a date has been fixed for elections. As you know Chairman and commissioners (AKISIEC), it is one thing to fix a date for election, and it is another thing to conduct elections that meets the integrity test.

Responding, the chairman of the Akwa Ibom State Electoral Commission Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak assured the Organisation of their integrity and capacity to conduct free and fair elections in the the state.

“We have the experience, capacity and finances available for us to conduct credible elections in the 31 local government areas in Akwa Ibom, ” he stated.