Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, has advocated for the abolition of State Electoral Commissions, labeling them as significant obstacles to local government development.
Fagbemi made this assertion during a one-day discourse on “Nigeria’s Security Challenges and Good Governance at the Local Government Levels” held in Abuja on Monday.
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The event was organized by the House of Representatives.
According to Fagbemi, state governors exploit loopholes in the 1999 Constitution, specifically Sections 7(1), 83(3), and 7(5), to undermine local governments.
He argued that these constitutional gaps have allowed governors to manipulate local governance, rendering local governments ineffective and depriving grassroots communities of essential services.
Fagbemi highlighted the misuse of state electoral commissions by governors to conduct fraudulent elections and appoint caretaker committees, thus stifling true local democracy.
He also pointed out the fiscal mismanagement through the states/local governments’ joint accounts, where governors retain control over federal allocations meant for local governments, exacerbating their financial woes.
To address these issues, Fagbemi called for the scrapping of State Electoral Commissions and transferring their responsibilities to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He believes this shift is crucial for fostering genuine democracy at the local government level.
Fagbemi also emphasized the need for a comprehensive constitutional amendment to eliminate barriers hindering local government development and empower them to perform their constitutionally mandated roles effectively.
“To achieve this, many experts have proposed that there is a need for the scrapping of the state independent electoral commission. Their functions and powers should be transferred to the Independent National Electoral Commission because the state independent electoral commission remains an appendage to every incumbent governor.”
“This is perceived as the root cause of the problem of local government administration in Nigeria,” Fagbemi stated.
Fagbemi’s remarks came after he filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Federal Government against state governors at the Supreme Court.
The suit seeks to stop the remittance of local government funds to state governments and prevent the replacement of elected local government chairmen with caretaker committees.
