By Straightnews
The need for National Assembly to consider carrying all the stakeholders along on the constitutional amendment of the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) in the country has been emphasised.
Speaking exclusively with journalists in Uyo on Tuesday, October 21, the Executive Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC), Elder Aniedi Ikoiwak listed the stakeholders to include the Governors, Members of the state Houses of Assemblies, and State Independent Electoral Commissions, among others.
This is as the National Assembly is considering amendment to the 1999 constitution to create room for the conduct of local government elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and not the state electoral bodies.
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This is sequel to the Supreme Court judgement, which granted financial autonomy to local government councils following a suit filed by the Federal Government on the matter.
Ikoiwak said AKISIEC and other state bodies must be involved in the constitutional amendments to avoid staffers of the SEICs losing their jobs.
‘‘Already, AKISIEC has more than 400 staffers and they cannot be absorbed by the ministry or any other body, except AKISIEC that recruited them. So, you must involve all the stakeholders to harmonise all interests to avoid any friction.’’
He said any independent body agreed by the National Assembly must consider all the SIECs in the 36 states of the federation especially their staffers and structures.
The AKISIEC boss said the amendment should not be seen as a strange thing after all, Governors nominate Resident Electoral Commissioners in their states, except in some rare cases the Commissioners are nominated by others.
‘‘I think it will be wise to allow AKISIEC and other State Independent Electoral Commissions to assume full autonomy, or a machinery be set in motion to accommodate their interests,’’ he noted.
Speaking earlier at the opening of a two-day 2024 Post Election Retreat Workshop, Ikowiak thanked the leadership of Akwa Ibom under Governor Umo Eno for supporting AKISIEC in the successful conduct of the just-conclude local government elections in the state.
He said despite unfounded rumours, the Governor did not interfere in the election except to ask how he was faring in the election.
The AKISIEC Boss said the retreat was informed by the need for the commission to interact with the staffers and get their feedback during the election in order to use the template to prepare for next election.
Ikoiwak, who said the retreat was mounted for Electoral Officers, Assistant Electoral Officers and management staffers of the commission, pledged to mount same for staffers on Grade Level One to 09 to equally get their feedback since they also contributed to the success of the elections.
Also speaking, the Facilitator of International Foundation for Electoral System (IFES), Mr. Enyine Victor said the retreat has provided an opportunity for open dialogue by those who conducted the elections in order to get feedback.
Victor said such feedback would help the commission and its staffers in proffering solutions to wards enhancing a more credible and acceptable elections in the future.
Recall that the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) are established by the respective State Houses of Assembly in each state of the federation. This power is derived from Section 197 of the Section 3 Part II of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which provides for the establishment of SIECs to conduct elections to local government councils.
The primary function of SIECs, as outlined in the Constitution, is to organize, undertake, and supervise elections to local government councils within the state and advise the INEC on the compilation of and the register of voters concerning local government elections in the State (Item B, Paragraph 4, Part II of the Third Schedule to the 1999 Constitution).
