By David Lawani
A former majority leader of the House of Representatives, Ado Doguwa, has called for scrapping of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), saying the National Assembly must do everything to join hands with the executive arms to achieve this objective.
Doguwa, in an interview with ThisNigeria yesterday, noted that the feat achieved over the financial autonomy of the local government councils delivered by the Supreme Court should not be allowed to waste away because local governments are closer to the people.
The Kano lawmaker stated further that the status of the third tier of government should be protected and not allowed to be turned into appendages of state governors.
He said, “We must join hands with the executive arm of the Federal Government to delete from the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the issue of State Independent Electoral Commissions.
“We have only achieved just 50 per cent of the job because if you continue to allow elections in the local government’s areas to be run by what you call state independent electoral commissions, then definitely this judgement of the Supreme Court will be abused ultimately.
“Because governors will make sure that they determine who will win local government elections. And they can even go to the extent of writing agreements for potential local government chairmen that at any point in time, we could come through the back door and direct you or give you orders to do their or not to do that. It will be like an old wine in a new bottle.”
He added that efforts by the Federal Government and National Assembly should be put in place to ensure state governors don’t continue to take advantage of the local governments because doing that, will further enable the state governors to compel council chairmen to enter into agreements that will not be in the interest of the councils.
“The Federal Government and the National Assembly must come to the responsibility to conclude this wholesome initiative by deleting what we call ‘state electoral commissions in our constitution’.
“If that is not done then, this independence is just going to be like a sham. It will be like something is given by the right hand and it is being taken away by the left hand,” he said.
