The legislative push to abolish State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) and transfer their powers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is one of the most consequential debates in Nigeria’s current democratic landscape.
As of May 2026, this movement has gained significant momentum, primarily driven by the 2024 Supreme Court ruling on local government autonomy and subsequent legislative amendments to the Electoral Act.
The primary argument for the abolition of SIECs is the phenomenon of “100% Sweep” results. Historically, whichever party holds the governorship in a state almost invariably wins every single local government chairmanship and councillorship.
Critics argue that SIECs lack independence. They are often seen as appendages of the Government House, funded and staffed by the sitting governor.
Opposition parties frequently boycott local polls, viewing them as “coronation ceremonies” rather than elections.
Governors have used their control over SIECs to ensure loyalists manage local government allocations, which the Supreme Court recently ruled must be paid directly to the local councils.
The push to centralize local elections under INEC involves a dual track of legal reform. Recent amendments to the Electoral Act have focused on tightening pre-election disputes and party primary oversight. While there is a strong push to include local government elections under INEC’s permanent mandate, this requires a constitutional amendment, not just a simple law.
Because SIECs are established under Section 197 of the 1999 Constitution, the National Assembly is currently debating a bill to delete this section. For this to succeed, it requires a two-thirds majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives and with approval by at least 24 out of 36 State Houses of Assembly.
While popular among civil society groups, the proposal faces stiff resistance. Opponents argue that transferring local polls to a federal body (INEC) undermines the principle of true federalism. They suggest that instead of abolishing SIECs, the focus should be on making them more independent through independent funding.
INEC already struggles with the logistics of national and state elections. Adding over 774 local government areas and thousands of wards to their plate could lead to administrative collapse.
The 2027 General Elections are acting as a catalyst for this bill. Proponents want the new system in place before the next cycle to ensure that local governments now legally entitled to direct federal funding are led by democratically “elected” rather than “selected” officials.
The battle is no longer just about who conducts the vote, but who controls the financial autonomy of the 774 local governments following the landmark 2024 Supreme Court judgment.
