By Olaleke ASHAFA
Dr Adetokunbo Pearse, Governorship Candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Lagos State, says operations of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must be decentralized for efficiency.
In his reaction to Saturday’s postponement of the general elections, Pearse described INEC’s operations as “complex and cumbersome”
He called for the restructuring of the commission for optimal performance.
“The postponement of election is not the worst of INEC’s failures. Some fundamental changes have to take place.
“INEC operations are too complex and cumbersome. Each state must have a truly democratic and independent election commission.
“INEC, like other organs of government, must be restructured.
“The commission’s operations must be fully decentralised for successful operations,” Pearse, a university teacher, said in a statement.
According to him, logistics and operational difficulties will continue to impede the success of the nation’s electoral umpire until the needed restructuring is carried out.
He said that everything should not be going through the INEC chairman, rather, every state electoral commission should be fully empowered to carry out the duties of INEC.
Pearse, however, decried a situation whereby State Independent Electoral Commissions were being run by the party in government.
The university don said that in developed world, the state electoral commission would be made up of representatives from the major parties in the state to enhance independence.
He said that each major party would have equal number of representatives on the board of that commission to deepen democracy.
According to him, if such exist in Nigeria, the state electoral commission should be empowered to carry out the responsibilities of INEC in every state.
“A lot of things must be changed simultaneously for us to have positive results,” Pearse said.
