The Nigerian Senate has condemned the local government elections held in Benue State on October 5, 2024, describing them as a sham. Senator Abba Patrick Moro, representing Benue South Senatorial District, moved a motion titled “The Sham Local Government Elections of Saturday, 5th October, 2024: Abuse of the Constitution and Need for Intervention by the Senate”.
The motion, co-sponsored by Senators Titus Zam Tartenger, Emmanuel Udendu Memgba, and Nwoye Tony, highlighted the blatant disregard for democratic principles by the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission. The elections were marred by rampant manipulation, with many polling units lacking election materials and electoral officers. In some areas, elections were held in private homes of APC chieftains, rendering the process undemocratic.
The Senate resolved to:
1. Condemn the Elections: Denounce the Benue State Independent Electoral Commission’s disregard for democratic principles.
2. Conduct Fresh Elections: Urge the Commission to hold elections in areas where they did not take place.
3. Withhold Allocations: Request the federal government to deny allocations to local government councils where leaders were selected rather than elected.
Senators Titus Zam and Emmanuel Udendu corroborated that no legitimate elections occurred in Benue State, calling for urgent action to prevent anti-democratic practices. Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, and other senators advocated for a national dialogue to address the issue, suggesting the creation of a new body or constitutional amendment to empower INEC to conduct local government elections.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio thanked Senator Moro for bringing attention to the matter and acknowledged the need for corrective action to ensure proper elections at the local government level.
This development underscores the ongoing concerns about the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process and the need for reforms to strengthen democracy.
