By Emmanuel Oloniruha
Abuja – The Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions of Nigeria (FOSIECON) has called for the strengthening of democracy at the grassroots, saying it was imperative for sustaining the nation’s democracy.
The Chairman of the Forum, Mrs Gloria Ekpong, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
She said that neglecting democracy at the grassroots would have negative effect on political evolution and democratic development of the nation.
“To me, if you don’t strengthen democracy at the foundation, if there is no good foundation, what we are building on top can collapse anytime.
“Local government structure is the foundation of the presidential system of governance in any country. If you neglect the foundation, then I guess you are not building on anything; it will be shaking.
“There is absolutely no reason why people should just look at presidential, governorship, national and state assemblies’ elections when you have not looked at elections at the grassroots.
“Where do you start building from? That is one thing Nigeria should start looking at. You don’t start building something at the middle of the way.
“When you hear physical structures collapsing, it is because they don’t have good foundations,’’ she said.
Ekpong, who is also the Chairman of Akwa Ibom State Independent Electoral Commission (AKISIEC), said that one of the reasons why SIECs were established was to promote the development of democracy at the grassroots.
She advised state governors and political stakeholders to give necessary attention to the development of SIECs for effective performance of their constitutional roles as obtained in developed countries.
The chairman pointed out that any state government that ignored democracy at the grassroots or decided to play with it had failed to lay the foundation for people to participate in democracy.
“In developed countries, if you look at the history of those who aspired to be president, senator or anything position, you will discover that they started right from the grassroots.
“You don’t just start at the midway and say you want to be president when people at the grassroots cannot speak or vote for you. You cannot neglect your home or foundation,’’ she said.
Ekpong said that the forum was already taking steps that would lead to positive reforms that would address some of the challenges facing the states’ electoral commissions.
She said that the forum had made inputs by way of recommendations for ongoing amendment of the 1999 Constitution, especially for proper funding of the commissions and local government autonomy.
She urged state governors to ensure that SIECS were adequate funded and that regular staff were recruited for the commissions as against the ad hoc arrangement in most states.
“As we speak some state SIECs don’t even have permanent staff; they just have ad hoc staff during elections. If such situation, where will the loyalty of such staff lie?
“If the governors see SIECs as a strong arm of government for them, they will fund them very well and train their staff.’’
Ekpong said that the forum was partnering donor agencies, INEC and the Electoral Institute for the training of SIECs staff. (NAN)