By Akombo Aondona, Abuja.
Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, has said that the local government elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were more democratic than state local government elections.
Prof. Mahmood He stated this while addressing the gathering of the Enlarged Stakeholders’ Forum and Information Kit for the 2022 FCT Area Council Elections, on Tuesday at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Centre, Kado, Abuja.
The INEC Chairman said FCT was the only part of the country where INEC was required by law to conduct local government elections, adding that this explained why FCT elections were conducted regularly and consistently within the stipulated periods.
Unlike in states, the FCT electoral law does not provide for caretaker committee for the territory’s area councils.
Speaking on the upcoming Saturday area council election in the FCT, the INEC chieftain said the commission had followed the timetable it released last year to the letter, stressing that what is left now is last-minute campaign by candidates in the polls which ends on Thursday 10 February 2022.
The election comes up on this Saturday, 12 February, 2022.
Mahmood assured all stakeholders that commission was prepared for the elections, disclosing that non-sensitive materials had already been deployed to the six area councils in the FCT.
In his speech at the event, FCT Minister, Ahmed Sani Bello, commended Prof. Mahmood for the good work done under his watch at INEC thus far, particularly the improvments on the electoral processes in order to deepen democracy in Nigeria.
The minister said: “In the past few years, the leadership of INEC has been able to entrench technology and other governance practices to improve electoral process.” He promised to support the INEC stakeholders in the FCT, irrespective of party affiliation to entrench democracy in Nigeria.
In his welcome address, the Resident Electoral Commissioner for the FCT, Yahaya Bello, lauded the FCT minister for his support to INEC by making facilities available for the commission to trained its ad hoc staff.
Goodwill messages were presented at the forum by various stakeholders, including IPAC, YIAGA Africa, Market Women Leader, Madam Felicia Sani, President, Albino Foundation and Mr. Jake Ekpelle, among others.
About 473 candidates made the INEC final list, sponsored by 14 political parties. In all, 110 candidates are aspiring to becomes chairman and vice in six area Councils respectively while 366 candidates competing for the 62 councillorship positions. The event was well attended.
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