Since the verdict was handed down on 11 July, 18 states have held local government elections, while nine others have scheduled the polls, with only Zamfara and Nasarawa States still waiting to do so.
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However, the recent elections have left advocates of local government autonomy scratching their heads. Most commentaries on the elections have been negative. In the case of Akwa Ibom, the ruling PDP won 31 and dropped only one — Essien Udim, the local government of Senate President Godswill Akpabio. During the 2018 local government elections, the main opposition party, the PDP, won four local governments: Zangon Kataf, Kauru, Kachia and Sanga., with opposition parties picking up some seats. However, the last local government election held in Kaduna on Saturday produced total victory for the ruling APC. The party took all 23 local government chairmanships and 255 councillorship seats in the state.
“What governors were doing illegally before, with transition committees, they are now permitted to do legally,” Mr Ahmad said in a phone interview.The inability of SIECs to deliver credible elections has been a significant factor driving calls for transferring their responsibilities to the Independent National Electoral Commission . Some have also advocated the creation of a federal body to conduct local government elections.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, raised the possibility of transferring local government elections to INEC during a retreat on constitutional amendment. However, Jide Ojo, an election expert, does not support transferring local government elections to INEC, citing federalism principles and INEC’s lack of capacity to run elections in 768 local governments and six area councils.
However, Mr Ahmad dismissed the federalism argument, stressing that saving the local government system is more critical.
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