Yiaga Africa has proposed the unification of local council elections across the country for a four-year tenure, as it would stop the undermining of electoral laws and constitutions.
The group also called for the reform of the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC) in line with the amended 2022 Electoral Act, calling for more funding for the commission.
Speaking, at a programme tagged: ‘Advocacy Roundtable on Legislative Reform for Improved Local Government Elections in Nigeria,’ Director of Programmes, Yiaga Africa, Cynthia Mbamalu, stressed the need for a clear timeline not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days to the expiration of the term of the current local council officials.
She said: “There is a need to unify or create a form of uniformity across every state for local council officials’ tenure to be four-year term so that governors wouldn’t decide whether to hold the election or not. Some states have not had council elections for between 10 and 15 years. Thankfully, Lagos is one of the states that have periodic council elections but we have states with just caretaker committees and no elected officials at the local council level. This ought not to be.
“Also, there is a need for the electoral law of Lagos State to be amended in line with the amended Electoral Act 2022, which currently provides that council elections should be conducted in line with the provision of the electoral act that regulates area council elections. We have analysed the law; there is no need to change the whole law, but just to amend some sections.”
Earlier, speaking on local council elections, the founding Director of Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, lamented that states have been wielding undue influence on the local councils and undermining their growth.
While commending Yiaga Africa for its effort in the aspect of elections in Nigeria, Akiyode-Afolabi noted that if the electoral reforms were properly situated, the country would be able to address the challenges of voter apathy and low turnouts.
“We need to consider proposals that local council elections should be managed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
We are all aware that INEC is overburdened even with the election at the federal level.
“Rather than running away from the main issue, is it not better to reform the local council structure to allow for a more independent body of judges or non-partisan Nigerians to run the elections at the local council level? We need to preserve the local council. The change can begin from this level of government.”
