The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has declared the issuance of 21-day notices for local government elections by State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) as illegal.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this known on Tuesday during a meeting with the executive members of the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) in Abuja.
Yakubu reminded the SIECs of the Supreme Court’s ruling, which mandates a longer statutory notice period for elections, warning against any breach of the legal requirement.
He also criticized the poor quality of most local government elections across states, calling for urgent reforms to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system. He cited the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as a model of credible polls, where elections are regularly held and caretaker committees have never replaced elected councils.
“The FCT remains the only part of Nigeria where local elections are timely, credible, and no political party dominates all the councils. This should be the standard,” he said.
Yakubu urged the SIECs to emulate INEC’s standard in the FCT and conduct elections that genuinely reflect the will of the people.
