Lawyers oppose scrapping of SIECs

Some lawyers yesterday said they were opposed to scrapping the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) in the planned amendment of the 1999 Constitution. The lawyers gave their views in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. They said making the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) solely responsible for the conduct of all elections was breach of the principle of true federalism.
Mr Onyekachi Ubani, Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch, urged the National Assembly to drop the idea. “It negates the principle of proper federalism. If you say local governments are under states, the states should be responsible for conducting elections into council positions,” Ubani said. He said that most elections conducted by some state electoral commissions in the past had not lived to the expectations of many Nigerians due to lack of fairness and credibility. Ubani said: “The electoral fraud at that level is very high but scrapping SIECs will not solve the problem. “What we should do is to build strong institutions which would ensure that our elections are free and fair.”

Also, Mr Jiti Ogunye said scrapping the state electoral bodies would entrench a unitary system of government in Nigeria. “It will not strengthen our democracy in anyway. It is an erroneous impression that INEC will conduct better elections for local government areas. “I will advise that we should sit down and have a sovereign national conference where such issues will be discussed and agreed upon’’, Ogunye said.
A former Chairman of NBA, Ikeja branch, Mr Adebamigbe Omole, said making INEC the sole body in charge of elections would lead to more abuses. Omole said: “This will only give the Federal Government more powers to trample on the rights of states like they are doing with the police. “Look at what is happening to Gov. Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers. That is why some governors are clamouring for state police.’’

On his part, a human rights activist, Mr Bamidele Aturu, said Nigerians should be vigilant and defend their votes at all elections. “Scrapping SIECs definitely negates the principle of true federalism. “However, most of the SIECs have been engaging in selection and not election. “So, that is why the lawmakers are concerned; but scrapping them will not solve the problem of election rigging,” Aturu added. (NAN)

Some lawyers yesterday said they were opposed to scrapping the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) in the planned amendment of the 1999 Constitution.

http://peoplesdailyng.com/lawyers-oppose-scrapping-of-siecs/