Following the Supreme Court ruling on July 11, 2024, which reaffirmed the autonomy of Local Government Areas (LGAs) and prohibited state governors from dissolving democratically elected council officials and appointment of caretaker committees, most State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) have been busy conducting elections into public offices at the local government level.
The civil exercise has been holding in different states of the federation since August. On Saturday, October 5, it was the turn of Benue, Rivers, Plateau and Akwa Ibom states.
While the elections have been held, results announced and winners sworn in , in the four states , by the respective governors, however, a Senator of the Federal Republic and Minority Whip, Abba Moro has described the elections held in some states, particularly that of Benue as ‘sham’.
Recall that the Chairman of the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission, Richard Tombowua, on Sunday, declared the All Progressives Congress chairmanship and councillorship candidates as winners of the October 5 local government election in the state.
Announcing the results of the election at the headquarters of the commission located along Naka Road, Tombowua said that the APC won all 23 chairmanships and 276 councillorship positions contested in the state.
He said, “The election held yesterday across the state went off without a hitch; it was free and fair, and the returning officers have submitted all the results from the field.
“From the results, the All Progressives Congress won all 23 chairmanship and 276 councillorship positions.”
Governor Hyacinth Alia on his part described the outcome of the local government election as a true reflection of the people’s will.
“I extend my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you for your active participation in the recent local government elections across our 23 local governments. Your commitment to exercising your franchise in a peaceful and civil manner is commendable and reflects the maturity of our democracy.
“The successful conduct of these elections, free from violence, is a testament to our collective resolve to uphold the values of peace and unity that are fundamental to our progress as a state. I am proud to see our citizens trooping out to make their voices heard, demonstrating that we can engage in the democratic process with respect and dignity,” the governor said in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Kula Tersoo on Sunday shortly after results of poll was announced.
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However, Moro, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain representing Benue South Senatorial District had on Thursday moved a motion titled: ‘The sham local government elections on 5th October 2024: Abuse of the constitution and need for Senate intervention.
Senator Moro in his lead debate said the local government council elections of October, 2024 in Benue State and in some parts of Nigeria, were marred by rampant manipulation, thwarting the goal of establishing truly representative local governments in Nigeria.
According to him, in most places, elections took place in the private homes of the chieftains of the ruling party, making the entire process a mere coronation of candidates of the ruling party and not a proper election contemplated under the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“The 5th of October, 2024 local government council elections were scheduled to hold in Benue State and in other parts of Nigeria, and while the electorate excitedly trooped out in their numbers to exercise their franchise to elect leaders who will represent their will at the local government councils, they waited for hours in vain as neither election materials nor electoral officers showed up in many of the polling stations and where a semblance of elections took place, winners were denied certificates of returns,” he said.
However, political analysts have contrary opinion to Senator Moro’s. According to them, the constitution beholds on the National and State Independent Electoral Commissions powers to conduct elections into elective offices in Nigeria at both the federal, state and local government levels with agents of participating political parties allowed in attendance to monitor the process. They noted that ‘if a certain political party feels their rights were infringed on, they have the right to challenge the process in court and not on senate floor where issues of national importance are discussed.’
‘I think Senator Moro is abusing the privileges of being elected a federal lawmaker. The man has not even allowed his party and other political parties that participated in poll to study the result before making a pronouncement. He is a seasoned politician that should by now have a perfect grip of how political businesses and proceedings are conducted.
Your party participated in an election that you feel was not properly conducted, the tribunal is there to hear your case. The senate floor is not the appropriate place for aggrieved senators to vent their frustrations against the electoral system. If other 108 senators including the principal officers chose to follow Moro’s footsteps, then the business of lawmaking and oversight functions for which the national assembly was established will be grounded and we all know the consequences of that,’ an analyst who craved anonymity said.
In a similar submission, a political commentator, Olugbenga Ashiru advised politicians not to overheat the political atmosphere with their comments on the LG polls. “Politicians are fond of heaping praises on INEC, the judiciary and even the federal government once election results favour them and their parties.
However, the moment it goes south, rather than follow through with established system of challenging election results, they begin to cry foul and almost hold the system hostage. It is normal that in LG elections, the ruling party in the respective states will win majority if not all the contestable seats. The only exception to this is that of Rivers State where a relatively unknown political party made a surprise win and we know the drama surrounding that.’
The analysts further submitted that aggrieved political parties and politicians should learn to tow the part of democracy by challenging whatever infractions they feel in an election at the appropriate court of competent jurisdiction rather than making statements that can jeopardize the relative peaceful atmosphere in the country.
