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By Tracy Moses
The Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) has renewed its call for operational and financial independence from state governors, warning that credible elections at the third tier of government cannot be guaranteed without it.
National Chairman of the forum, Jossy Chibunde Eze, made the appeal during the 13th National Delegates Conference of FOSIECON held in Jos, Plateau State, on Wednesday, 21st May 2025.
Eze described the gathering as a timely platform to confront persistent institutional hurdles hampering the performance of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) nationwide.
While reaffirming the constitutional role of SIECs in conducting local government elections, he lamented the deep-rooted political interference, inadequate funding, and misinformation that plague many of the commissions.
“SIECs are constitutionally mandated to function independently, yet they face undue pressure from those who appointed them,” Eze said. “The truth is, without genuine autonomy, we are merely managing elections, not conducting them,” he added.
He further expressed concern that despite legal provisions guaranteeing their autonomy, SIECs often depend on state executives for funding, leaving them vulnerable to manipulation and compromising their credibility.
“Imagine conducting an election with no control over your own budget. That’s the reality for many of us,” he noted.
“We are often told to be impartial, yet denied the tools to be truly independent.”
Eze also criticized the lack of administrative control within SIECs, noting that many are unable to independently recruit, manage, or discipline their staff, a shortfall he believes severely impairs their capacity to organize credible grassroots elections.
“You cannot hold us accountable for processes we do not fully control,” he said. “Staffing, logistics, security, these are core components of any credible election, and we must be allowed to handle them without interference.”
“The recurring perception of SIECs as mere tools in the hands of governors is misleading and damaging,” he emphasized. “We are not state branches of INEC or errand bodies of governors. We are independent institutions under the constitution.”
He also absolved SIECs of blame when political parties fail to participate in elections, saying such decisions lie solely with the parties.
“We provide the platform and invite all registered parties. If some choose not to participate, it is not an indictment on the process but a political decision,” Eze said.
The FOSIECON chairman commended Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, for hosting the conference and for his administration’s commitment to entrenching democracy at the grassroots level.
“Governor Mutfwang’s willingness to provide a platform for this crucial dialogue is a strong statement about his belief in electoral integrity,” Eze said. “We urge other governors to emulate this bold leadership.”
In his remarks, Governor Caleb Mutfwang assured the forum of his administration’s dedication to empowering the state electoral body to perform its duties without hindrance.
“Our democracy is only as strong as the institutions that support it,” Mutfwang said. “We must stop seeing SIECs as political appendages and start treating them as the pillars of local governance that they truly are.”
Eze wrapped up his address with a call on the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and the National Assembly to initiate reforms that would strengthen, rather than scrap, the operations of SIECs.
“Let us not throw the baby out with the bathwater. The solution is not to abolish SIECs, but to empower them,” he concluded. “We call on lawmakers at all levels to act with courage and urgency.”
The three-day conference brought together experts, lawmakers, and civil society stakeholders, all of whom echoed the need for comprehensive reforms that will bolster the independence and effectiveness of SIECs.
One of the participants, Dr. Fatima Bako, an election monitoring expert, stressed the importance of shielding local electoral bodies from partisan control.
“The credibility of local government elections is foundational to democracy,” she said. “If we continue to ignore the plight of SIECs, we risk undermining the entire electoral process from the ground up.”
Another delegate, Hon. Chinedu Nwankwo, a state legislator from Enugu, noted:
“There is growing public disillusionment with local elections. Reforming SIECs could help rebuild trust in the democratic process at the grassroots.”