National Chairman of all the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON), Jossy Chibundu Eze, has restated the body’s mission to promote efficient election administration in all the 36 states’ Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs).
   
At a meeting yesterday in Jos, Plateau State, Eze said she was not unaware that the SIECs, in exercising their constitutional rights, have been beleaguered by a plethora of daunting challenges across political regimes.
   
The national chairman said, consequently, the SIECs are probably one of the most misunderstood, disregarded, criticised or taunted among other government agencies.
  
She observed personally that the SIEC is a body, which is constitutionally charged in exercising its mandate, not to be controlled, not to take instructions from any other person or authority, adding that the appointees (state governments) see and expect the body to toe their whims and caprices, thereby negating their independence.

SIEC, according to her, is an apolitical umpire under oath of neutrality in conducting its functions, adding that some political parties turn around to blame it for returning candidates, who validly won elections.
   
Host Chairman of the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC), Plangji Cishak, said some individuals and organisations have questioned the independence of SIECs in the country, urging their scrapping.

He argued that scrapping them would be catastrophic to the collective aspirations of the people for the creation of strong democratic structures at the grassroots.