Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on Thursday disclosed that 715 offices of the commission, representing 92.4 percent, had over the years been relocated outside local government secretariats in the country.
Nigeria has 774 local governments and opposition parties and candidates had often complained of lack of access to INEC offices domiciled in the LGA Secretariats as ruling party officials who are in charge of local government administration denies them access.
Recently, the House of Representatives moved a motion entitled "Call for Relocation of Independent National Electoral Commission INEC Local Government Offices to Neutral grounds".
The commission posted its presentation to the National Assembly in its X handle.
Speaking when he appeared before the committee at the National Assembly, Prof. Yakubu recalled that as part of the previous transitional arrangements from military to democratic system of government, military Governors in the various states were directed to make offices available to the electoral commission in the State capitals and Local Government Areas.
"In most of the States, it was found convenient to provide a few rooms in the existing LGA secretariats for that purpose", he said.
Yakubu added that following the democratic transition, some opposition parties and candidates complained that in some instances, officials of the LGAs often denied them access to the Commission's offices during election and electoral activities such as voter registration, collation of election results and other electoral responsibilities vested in the Commission by law.
"In response to these complaints, the Commission began to relocate the offices from the LGA secretariats to locations accessible to all citizens.
"Over the years, the Commission designed the prototype of its LGA offices and relocated some of them to guarantee unimpeded access.
"So far, 715 (92.4%) offices have been relocated from LGA secretariats nationwide. In Secretariats with large expanse of land, the Commission constructed its own offices within the premises. Perimeter fences were erected to physically separate the offices from the LGA Secretariats, including the provision of separate entrances accessible to the public. The Commission has been working hard to ensure the relocation of the remaining 59 (7.6%) offices", he stated.
Yakubu added that not many Nigerians are aware that the Commission manages extensive physical assets across the country.
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He said these include 774 functional LGA offices, 37 State offices, the Commission's national headquarters (and annex), the Electoral Institute, eight zonal/sub-zonal stores, and residential quarters for Commission members and the 37 Resident Electoral Commissioners RECs.
"In all, the Commission maintains over 860 buildings. In addition to the requirements for routine maintenance, some of them are periodically attacked and/or vandalised. The cost of maintenance and reconstruction is huge. The major source of funds is the General Election budget which follows the electoral cycle and comes only once in four years.
"Furthermore, availability of land in some parts of the country, particularly the interface between the community and government, is a major challenge as can be seen from the analysis in the tabular summary below.
"The following actions are required: Continuous interaction with the State Governments and communities to make unencumbered and suitably located land or existing structures available for construction or conversion to our LGA offices. Honourable Members of the House of Representatives can help in areas within your constituencies.
"Provide for construction and maintenance of physical assets in the annual budget instead of the periodic provision tied to electoral cycles", the INEC boss stated.
