FOSIECON Pushes for Strategic Alliance with Independent National Electoral Commission to Improve LG Polls

The Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) has intensified efforts to strengthen the credibility of local government elections with a formal request for deeper institutional collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The call was made on Tuesday during a high-level visit by FOSIECON officials to INEC headquarters in Abuja.

Speaking during the meeting, FOSIECON National Chairman, Mamman Nda Eri, described the engagement as a proactive step toward enhancing professionalism, transparency, and public confidence in grassroots elections conducted by State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs).

He noted that while INEC and SIECs operate under separate constitutional mandates, greater cooperation would promote uniform standards and improve electoral outcomes at the local level.

Learning from INEC’s Reforms

Eri commended INEC for its technological innovations and reform-driven initiatives, particularly the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV).

According to him, these digital tools have significantly enhanced transparency, reduced incidents of manipulation, and strengthened voter trust in the electoral process.

FOSIECON, he said, is seeking structured collaboration that would enable SIECs to benefit from INEC’s technical expertise, especially in areas of election planning, logistics management, ICT systems, and security coordination.

Reform Priorities

The forum outlined key areas for partnership, including capacity building, technology-sharing within constitutional limits, policy and legal reforms, joint voter education initiatives, and research-driven data exchange.

Eri emphasized that harmonizing best practices across federal and state electoral bodies would contribute to improved accountability and more credible local government elections.

International Backing

FOSIECON also highlighted recent support received during the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council Elections from the European Union, the Supporting Democratic Governance in Nigeria (SDGN) programme, and DAI Global.

The chairman said the partnerships helped improve professional standards, election observation practices, and institutional reform efforts among state electoral commissions.

Strengthening Democracy at the Grassroots

Analysts say enhanced synergy between INEC and SIECs could help address longstanding concerns surrounding the transparency and credibility of local government elections across Nigeria.

With renewed engagement between the two bodies, stakeholders believe Nigeria may witness stronger electoral governance at the grassroots level, where democratic processes have the most direct impact on citizens.