Recent LG elections in Nigeria a ‘show of shame’ — Catholic group

A non-governmental organisation of the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo, Justice, Development & Peace Makers’ Centre (JDPMC), Osogbo, has described the local government elections that have been conducted in some states in Nigeria since the Supreme Court judgement that authorised financial autonomy as a show of shame and mediocrity.

The organisation stated that the polls were only conducted for the state governments to assess the federal allocation accrued to local government areas and not for the advancement of democracy and good governance.

Speaking at the first edition of the Stakeholders Forum organised by the organisation ahead of the forthcoming 2025 Osun LG Election, the General Coordinator of JDPMC, Osogbo, Rev. Fr. Peter Akinkunmi, expressed concerns over the shabby and haphazard methods applied by State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIEC) at the recently held elections in some states across the country, urging Osun SIEC to right the wrongs and set a good example in the conduct of council polls.

Dwelling on the theme for the high-level stakeholders dialogue programme: “The Evolution of Election in Osun State: The Preparedness of OSIEC and All Stakeholders Towards a Credible and Transparent 2025 LGA Election in Osun State,” Akinkunmi stated that most Nigerians don’t have an interest in politics and governance because of the collapse of local government politics and administration.

He said local councils have not been working effectively as a result of “the past and likely continuous abuse of outrageous regulatory power that the constitution gave to the state government over the affairs of LGAs,” adding that JDPMC gathered stakeholders such as the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, religious leaders, civil society organisations, youths, women in politics, and Inter-Party Advisory Council, among others, to discuss what can be done to make things work despite obvious challenges.

“Today, when the majority of Nigerians reflect on, aggregate, and seek to invest their time and resources in reinforcing those factors that they think will impact positively on their real lives, politics or governance hardly makes the list. One of the major reasons is simply that the collapse of local government politics and administration has moulded governance into a mere mental intangible concept that touches nothing in our real-life experience as a people since our return to democracy.

“Yet it is mainly through LG politics and administration that governance directly involves the people and touches the lives of citizens at the primary or fundamental level, right from their communities into the more complex structure of society.

“We must admit that some of the factors I have alluded to earlier and many more have understandably weakened the interest of the majority of the stakeholders, to the exclusion of the political class. We need our LGAs to function democratically, transparently, and responsibly. The foundation of this lies in the leadership recruitment process,” Akinkunmi said while addressing participants.

Akinkunmi reported that as of 2023, fewer than 60% of local government areas were led by elected councils. He described the elections conducted post-July 11 Supreme Court judgement as primarily a means to access federal allocations, rather than efforts to enhance democratic governance.

He added, “The level of recklessness observed in LGA elections does not in any way reflect the level of advancement in our elections in Nigeria at the national level. We must also admit that this is partly because we, the state and non-state actors, have not committed as much to LGA elections as we have done with INEC.

“We do not desire a replication of the show of shame displayed as LG elections in other states here in Osun State at the February 2025 LG polls. Even though it may not turn out perfect because of many limiting factors, yet if we are brave and patriotic, we can conduct a very credible election worth being proud of.”

In his remarks during the panel session, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun, Mutiu Agboke, advised OSIEC to always carry stakeholders along in its plans and ensure that there is smooth and transparent collation of results from wards to the state headquarters.

Other speakers, including the President of the Network of NGOs in the state, Michael Ebofin, and the Chairman of the National Youth Council of Nigeria, Osun State, Ajala Adetunji, accused OSIEC of not carrying stakeholders along enough, urging it to conduct free and fair elections in collaboration with stakeholders.

Reacting, OSIEC Commissioner for Operation, Bunmi Ibiloye, said it has been engaging all key stakeholders, assuring that the Commission is poised to deliver an acceptable election.

Meanwhile, the police assured the security of lives and property before, during, and after the polls next year.