By Ajifa Ainoko
The Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) has rejected the recent call by the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) for the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs), describing such a move as a threat to grassroots democracy and local governance.
The National Chairman of FOSIECON, Mr. Mamman Nda Eri,in a statement said the suggestion to abolish SIECs undermines the constitutional framework that guarantees local government autonomy and citizen participation in governance.
Eri explained that the SIECs are constitutionally established under Section 197 and the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution with a clear mandate to conduct credible elections at the local government level.
He noted that abolishing them would amount to disregarding the principle of federalism and weakening democratic structures closest to the people.
According to him, Nigeria’s electoral system is built on shared responsibility between the federal, state, and local governments. While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) manages federal and state elections, SIECs are empowered to oversee local government polls.
“Removing SIECs from the equation would distort this balance and deny citizens the right to participate meaningfully in the governance of their communities,” the statement read in part.
FOSIECON, therefore, urged stakeholders to focus on strengthening the commissions rather than scrapping them.
The forum recommended legislative reforms that would guarantee financial and administrative independence for SIECs, as well as capacity building for staff and enhanced transparency in the conduct of local elections.
Eri noted that the challenges facing local elections in Nigeria are not peculiar to SIECs but reflect broader governance and political culture issues that require collective reform.
He reaffirmed FOSIECON’s commitment to credible, transparent, and inclusive electoral processes across the country.
The FOSIECON chairman also maintained that any proposal to abolish SIECs would amount to an attack on the constitutional foundation of Nigeria’s democracy and a major setback for local governance.
He therefore, called on IPAC, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to collaborate in reforming and strengthening the commissions rather than pushing for their elimination.
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