The House of Representatives has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to relocate its Local Government offices to neutral and secured locations to protect the commission’s integrity.
This followed the adoption of a motion presented by a lawmaker from Enugu State, Sunday Nnamchi, at Wednesday’s plenary in Abuja.
In his presentation, Nnamchi said Section 157 of the Constitution guarantees INEC unhindered autonomy and independence to conduct national elections.
He said the commission has a critical role in conducting credible elections across the country in accordance with the law.
The lawmaker noted that the majority of the INEC’s local government offices were located within local government headquarters.
He said: “This is potentially hampering and compromising the independence of INEC in the conduct of national elections.
“This proximity exposes INEC to manipulation and control by council Chairmen, particularly in areas dominated by a single political party.
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“This impedes INEC’s impartiality as enshrined in Section 6 of the Electoral Act (2022). Hence, the need to maintain public trust and confidence in the electoral processes.”
In his ruling, the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, mandated the Committee on INEC and other relevant stakeholders to ensure compliance and report to the House for further legislative actions.
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