The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said Thursday it can comfortably handle the conduct of local government elections if the responsibility falls on it.
Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the chairman of the commission, made the disclosure when he appeared before the joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters on preparations for the upcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo States.
According to the chairman, INEC has the capacity to handle the local government elections, but that would only be possible pending when the law is amended to permit it to do so.
Prof. Yakubu noted that the Commission had been conducting area council elections in the Federal Capital Territory, which has been devoid of the problems associated with the conduct of local government elections.
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He outlined some advantages of INEC handling elections, including the conduct of regular elections as they are due, stability of tenure, and absence of a caretaker committee in the FCT.
The election umpire boss also claimed that there has never been a time when one political party has won all the seats at the elections, as is common in the states.
According to him, if INEC handles the election, it would be better for democracy.
Yakubu, however, said this can only happen if the constitution is amended to take the responsibility from state electoral commissions.