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Call for the scrapping of state’s electoral commission
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From John Adams, Minna
A group of electoral observers who monitored the conduct of last Saturday’s local government elections in Niger State have commended the state’s independent electoral commission for peaceful polls, even as they expressed reservations over the late arrival of materials in various polling units across the state.
The groups of electoral observers, which comprise the National Council of NGOs, the Civil Society Organisation of Nigeria, the Centre for the Promotion of Peace and Unity of Nigeria, and the Forum of Independent Election Observers of Nigeria, however, called for the scrapping of states’ electoral bodies, saying that they cannot be judges in their own matters.
Addressing newsmen in Minna on Tuesday, the National President of the groups, Chief (Hon) Dr. Lazarus Nwachukwu, pointed out that the conduct of local government elections in Nigeria should be handled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) if democracy must survive.
Despite the low turnout due to voter apathy and the late arrival of materials in most polling units that characterised the November 1st council elections in the state, the groups were full of praise for NSIEC and the security agents for the outcome of the elections.
According to the groups, “It is important to highlight that the turnout of the electorate in some quarters was high at most polling units at the Niger South Senatorial zone of the state, while in some other zones, the electorates turned out tremendously based on the individual capacity of aspirants/parties.
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“We also wish to remark that the security agencies did discharge their duties with a high sense of responsibility, as there was no serious report of violence and/or attack during the period of the elections, which is a significant shift from the usual fight/war at various polling units and collation centres.
“To this end, the team and members of the National Council of NGOs and Civil Society Organisations of Nigeria, the Centre for the Promotion of Peace and Unity in Nigeria, and the Forum of Independent Election Observers of Nigeria wish to commend the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission for entrenching democracy at the grassroots.”
Chief Lazarus Nwachukwu stated further that in discharging their duties in the observation angles in the state, the delegation segmented itself into three groups in order to observe the said LG elections of 1st November, 2025, in the three senatorial zones of the state for effective coverage.
Equally, he disclosed that the delegation took holistic observations on the preparation of the election by NSIEC, parties involved in the contest, the electorate, security agencies, journalists, and the media in general in this August exercise of the 1st November, 2025, local government elections held in Niger State.
He, however, maintained that “what we have here today for you is our preliminary report, and the comprehensive records of our observations during the 1st November, 2025, local government elections will be made public in no time,” he added.
