(SINL NIGERIA) Worried by alleged irregularities by State Independent Electoral Commisssion (SIEC), during council elections, the Nigerian Senate has urged the federal government to sanction any state of the federation where council chairmen emerged by selection.
Specifically, the upper legislative chamber on Thursday urged the federal government to deny allocations to local governments where the chairmen were selected by the state governor.
The resolution is sequel to a motion sponsored by the Senate Minority leader, Sen. Abba Moro.
The motion titled: “The sham local government elections of Saturday, 5th October, 2024; abuse of the constitution and need for intervention by the Senate” condemned the Benue state Independent Electoral Commission’s disregard for democratic principles in the council poll held on 5th October, 2024.
The motion was co-sponsored by three other senators.
The Senate minority leader alleged that in most places, elections took place in the private homes of the chieftains of the ruling party, making the entire process a mere coronation of candidates of the ruling party and not a proper election contemplated under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
Additionally, lawmakers also asked the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission to conduct elections in those place where elections were not held and allow the people to choose the representatives of their choice.
Meanwhile, senators proposed a meeting of principal officers of the National Assembly with President Bola Tinubu on the motion in question.
In an interview with newsmen, Senator Moro said “what we have decided to do in the senate is to make complimentary legislations to secure the independent Electoral Commission of the state. Because as it is now all the state electoral commissions are under whims and caprices of the governor.
“The establishment of the independent Electoral commission for the state under section 197 is guaranteed. So there is nothing anybody can do about it. But we can make legislations that can provide security of appointments, there are other sundry legislations that we can do. All that we want to do is to shield them away from the whims and caprices of the governors, because they see them as cash cows when allocations go to local government they are transfered to states and when they are transfered to the states they are not used for the projects they are intended for and it becomes pocket money for the governors.
“So I think the national Assembly by pronouncement today has taken the bull by the horn and we will take it from there” he said.
