By Joy Odor
The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has assured the National Assembly (NASS) that the Commissioner has the capacity and will comfortably handle the conduct of local government elections, pending when the constitution is amended to take the responsibility from state electoral commissions.
Prof Yakubu gave the affirmation on Thursday when he appeared before the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on preparations for the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.
INEC Chairman assured that if INEC handles the election, it would be better for democracy.
He informed that the Commission had been conducting area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory which has been devoid of the problems associated with the conduct of local government elections.
Prof Yakubu maintained that some advantages of INEC handling elections to include that there are regular elections as when due, stability of tenure, and also that there has never been a caretaker committee in the FCT.
He noted that there has never been a time one political party has won all the seats at the elections as is common in the states.
Speaking on the upcoming off-cycle elections in Edo and Ondo States, the INEC Chairman expressed fresh fears, noted that apart from a strain on state facilities, there is issue of governors using power of incumbency to the detriment of other opposition parties and their candidates.
Prof. Yakubu noted that despite the challenge of flooding, there is also the issue of security and expressed worry over the alleged deployment of operatives of the Edo State Security Network ESSN to curse commotion during the September 21 polls.
While outlining the activities for the Edo and Ondo elections, INEC boss said submission of all polling agents will be done 30 days before the respective elections and disclosed that 17 candidates will be contesting the governorship position in both states with Edo fielding the only female candidate in the entire polls.
