Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has urged civil society organizations (CSOs) to increase their oversight of political party primaries and local government elections. During a meeting with a coalition of CSOs led by Yinusa Ya’u at INEC’s headquarters on Wednesday, Yakubu highlighted the critical role of party primaries in shaping the quality of elected officials.

While acknowledging the valuable contributions of CSOs to Nigeria’s democratic process, Yakubu noted a lack of focus on local elections managed by State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs). He stressed that, although CSOs have significantly improved the overall electoral process, local government elections often lack the necessary scrutiny despite their importance in upholding electoral integrity.

“Political parties conduct primaries; INEC oversees general elections. The quality of candidates presented by political parties affects voter choice. Flawed primaries limit citizens’ options,” Yakubu said. He also expressed concern about insufficient civil society attention to local government elections, where SIECs often favor ruling party candidates.

Yakubu called for more thorough monitoring, emphasizing, “We need to ensure that every aspect of the election process is properly overseen. It’s not sufficient to focus only on one part.” In response, Yinusa Ya’u of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room affirmed the coalition’s dedication to strengthening democracy, including efforts to mobilize voters and support peaceful elections in Edo State.