From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has condemned the proposed bill by the Senate to create a Local Government Independent Electoral Commission, sponsored by Senator Sani Musa.
IPAC’s National Publicity Secretary, Chinyere Ogekalu, stated that the initiative would lead to duplication of functions and a waste of public funds.
Ogekalu said that instead of creating a local government electoral commission, the government should strengthen the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to function optimally.
“This move is unacceptable and unnecessary, as it will lead to duplication of functions and waste of public funds,” she said.
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“Creating another commission will not address the challenges faced in conducting local government elections. Instead, it will lead to unnecessary duplication of efforts and resources.”
“The proposed commission will still rely on INEC’s voter register, IREV, BVAS, ballot boxes, and other resources to conduct a successful election.”
“Rather than creating another commission, we should focus on building the capacity of INEC to conduct free, fair, and transparent elections at the local level.”
“This is especially crucial at a time when the government is grappling with limited resources to cater to the welfare of citizens.”
“We urge the Senate to reconsider this proposed bill and prioritise the strengthening of INEC to deliver credible elections at all levels,” she said.