By Ali Abare

The Nasarawa State 2024 local government elections have come and gone with the newly elected local government officials already inaugurated and sworn into office by Governor Abdullahi Sule.

Unlike previous exercises, the 2024 council elections came to set a precedence for entrenching real democracy at the grassroots. At a time when there was so much disillusionment regarding local government elections in the country, the Nasarawa State 2024 council polls stood out as a hallmark of true democracy and manifestation of the genuine wish of the people at the grassroots.

Right from the onset, the Governor Sule administration expressed its commitment and determination to conduct a free, fair and credible election that would serve as a benchmark for grassroots democracy, thus paving the way for the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) to excel in its mandate.

This was inspite of the fact that the road to the 2024 council polls was characterized by three key landmark decisions, namely the Supreme Court judgment granting full financial autonomy to the local government, another Court of Appeal judgment quashing the case filed by some individuals against the NASIEC challenging the conduct of the 2024 elections, as well as the repealing of the Nasarawa State Local Government Law 2018 while replacing it with the Nasarawa State Local Government Law 2024.

In compliance with the Supreme Court judgment granting full financial autonomy to local government areas, Governor Sule made a bold statement by signing a bill into law giving berth to the landmark Nasarawa State Local Government Law 2024.

With the signing of the new local government law, the Governor announced the abolishing of the state/local government account, aimed at enhancing financial autonomy for local government councils by allowing them to manage their resources directly and fund essential services for communities.

While describing the event as a significant milestone not only in his administration’s governance framework, the Governor said signing the bill into a law, represents his administration’s unwavering commitment to uphold principles of democracy, transparency, accountability, and the rule of law at the local government level.

“As we embark upon this new chapter, it is crucial that this legislation that we have ascented to today is a demonstration of our deliberate effort to fully comply with the recent Supreme Court judgment affirming local government autonomy. This judgment has set a precedence that we as a state are committed to consolidating and honoring the law of our land,” he said.

He emphasized that by enacting the new local government law, his administration is taking decisive steps towards empowering local government councils and freeing them from the other local laws that would contradict the Supreme Court decision and ensuring that they operate independently and effectively in serving local communities.

While highlighting some of the features of the new law, the Governor pointed out that the Nasarawa State Local Government Law 2024 has repealed the Nasarawa State Local Government Law 2018 but still retained the three-year tenure for elected local government chairmen to enable them focus on long term development initiatives and community engagement.

“Furthermore, I am pleased to announce the abolishion of the joint account between the state and government. This critical change will enhance the financial autonomy of our local government councils, allowing them to manage their resources directly and fund essential services for our communities. This approach aligns with our commitment to fiscal responsibility and ensures that funds allocated for local government reach their intended destinations without unnecessary delays or bureaucratic hurdles,” he stated.

Since the landmark Supreme Court judgment granting full financial autonomy to the third tier of government, the Governor Sule administration was determined to translate this noble decision into reality as it began in earnest preparations towards the 2024 local government elections that would usher in a new paradigm in the administration of local government areas.

Guided by the the determination to make the difference in midwifing the transition in the administration of local governments in the state, both the Nasarawa State Government and NASIEC introduced various innovations which combined to make the 2024 local government elections not only exceptional but a benchmark for others to follow.

One of the innovations introduced by the administration preparatory to the council polls was to send 100 directors of personnel management, planning, research and statistics, as well as directors of socials from the 13 local government areas and 18 development areas of Nasarawa State at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies Kuru (NIPSS) three-day training workshop.

According to Governor Sule, the training became necessary in order for true financial autonomy to manifest for local government areas in the state.

A key indicator that it was no longer business as usual when it comes to participation in the council polls was the adoption of consensus mode of the choice of the flagbearers under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Unlike before, when all it takes was either for the governor, in conjunction with few critical stakeholders, to present a list of candidates to be adopted and ratified by the party, the Governor Sule administration devolved such functions to the expanded stakeholders across each of the 13 local government areas.

Governor Sule saddled the stakeholders with the responsibility of shortlisting three names from across each local government area to be considered to run for the party’s ticket for chairman, deputy chairman, and secretary as the case may be.

The concensus arrangement chosen by the party during an expanded stakeholders’ meeting, which was held at the Government House, aimed at enhancing internal unity, peace, and success of the party during the local government elections.

Setting a precedence that would mark a clear departure from the past, Governor Sule rather than dwelling only on political patronage, outlined necessary qualities guiding the selection of chairmanship candidates of the APC to include prudence, experience, foresight and competence.

Following the expiration of the tenure of the immediate past executive chairmen of the 13 local government areas on October 7, 2024, Governor Sule approved for the NASIEC to organize and conduct the November 2 council polls, also paving the way by signing into law the bill for the Nasarawa State Local Government Law 2024, in line with the provisions of the constitution of the Legal Notice No. 5 of 2018, aimed at entrenching democratic culture in the third tier of government.

While inaugurating the newly elected local government chairmen, Governor Sule restated the commitment of his administration to take good governance to the grassroots.

“You will recall that since our assumption of office in May 2019, we made a solemn pledge to strengthen the third tier of government being the closest to the grassroots. It is for this reason that we sustained regular conduct of local government elections in the state to avoid any vacuum. I made bold to say that, in our five years of stewardship, this is the second swearing in for elected local government chairmen that we are performing as an administration. This is a testament of our avowal to continue to provide good governance to the people of Nasarawa State,” he stated.

The governor took out time to commend the NASIEC for conducting what he described as one of the most transparent and most peaceful elections in the state.

“Let me, therefore, commend the Commission for conducting the most relatively freest and fairest local government election that we had in the state. The Commission has indeed, justified the confidence government and people of Nasarawa State reposed in it by ensuring the smooth conduct of the elections in the state, in line with the appropriate guidelines and rules of engagement,” he added.

Certainly, the NASIEC under the chairmanship of Barrister Ayuba Usman Wandai has transformed into a formidable agency, especially in an ever changing election management world, with new techniques evolving every day.

Initially, the NASIEC was forced to postpone its August 31, 2024 date earlier set for the conduct of the council polls as a result of the litigation challenging the exercise.

Addressing members of the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) at the headquarters of the commission, Wandai explained that the decision to postpone the polls was taken after the commission was served with a court summons by the Federal High Court sitting in Lafia, in a matter filed by one Paul A. John and 12 others against the Nasarawa State House of Assembly and NASIEC.

He said the interested parties were challenging section 8 (e) of the Nasarawa State Local Government Election Law 2018 and sections 3j, 3k, and 9 of the Local Government Councils Elections Guidelines 2024.

The NASIEC Chairman pointed out that the commission having studied and analyzed the originating summons and issues contained therein, as well as it’s implication on the successful conduct of the 2024 local government elections, decided to postpone the exercise indefinitely.

However, on October 2, 2024, having won its case before the courts, the NASIEC rescheduled the polls to November 2, 2024, with Wandai finding another reason to address the IPAC.

Wandai said NASIEC was ready to hold the council polls after securing victory at the law courts.

“Having had our day in court by emerging victorious, the court dismissed the suit and upheld all our contentions. The plaintiffs, being dissatisfied with the judgement, filed a Notice of Appeal at the Court of Appeal Makurdi but have suddenly filed a Notice of Withdrawal/Discontinuance of Notice of Appeal on Thursday 26th September, 2024 thus clearing the way for the conduct of the 2024 Local Government Councils Elections,” he said.

The Chairman declared that NASIEC has fixed November 2, 2024, for the council polls.

Swinging into action immediately, the NASIEC equally unfolded the election guidelines for the 2024 council polls before the media, stating that both the chairmanship and councillorship elections would hold on Saturday, November 2, 2024.

As part of its preparations for the successful conduct of the polls, NASIEC also met with heads of security agencies operating in the state, aimed at creating synergy between the commission and the security agencies towards fashioning out ways to deploy security and also ensure seamless relationship with the security agencies.

“We are aware in NASIEC that implementing our statutory mandate directly affects the peace and security of this state, hence the need for us to collaborate closely with security agencies to ensure that we have a peaceful exercise.

The NASIEC Chairman, therefore, underscored the significant role played by the security agencies for a successful and peaceful conduct of the scheduled council polls.

“We regard our relationship with security agencies as the basis that will give us success in this forthcoming election. It is our hope that the election, based on all that we have arranged and agreed on, will be peaceful and orderly,” he stated.

The NASIEC under Wandai’s stewardship brought a new innovation on the training of the over ten thousand ad hoc staff, effectively identifying some members of the academic community from across tertiary institutions in the state, to partner with the various electoral officers to impact the training.

Presenting certificates of to newly elected chairmen at the conclusion of the exercise, Barrister Wandai said the moment signified the successful conclusion of an electoral process that was marked by transparency, credibility, and the true expression of the people’s will.

“I am proud to state that NASIEC conducted these elections with a clear commitment to fairness and integrity. This presentation of Certificates of Return represents the final statutory responsibility of NASIEC in the electoral process, as mandated by law, and we carry it out with confidence in the credibility of the process and the legitimacy of the results,” he added.

In extending the gratitude of the commission to people of the state, as well as all stakeholders who played essential roles in the success of this election, including security agencies, political parties, traditional, religious and community leaders, the media, Wandai however singled out Governor Sule for his continuous support and respect for NASIEC’s independence and also the Nasarawa State House of Assembly for its consistent support and understanding.

The level of independence enjoyed by the NASIEC under the present administration was unprecedented as was emphasized by the Chairman during a a training session for the management and staff of the NASIEC preparatory to the conduct of the elections.

“I want to call on you, to note that as electoral officers of the NASIEC in the various local government areas, as far as this local government elections is concerned, you are in charge of your local government. I don’t want you to go and be answerable to anybody. You are not answerable to anybody. You are in charge of your local government. You should behave like electoral officers of this commission. We are in charge of these elections. We are not subordinate to anybody as far as this election is concerned. We are an independent commission,” he stated.

Indeed, the level of independence enjoyed by the NASIEC could be seen in the final results of the election where unlike what obtains elsewhere, with the ruling party always certainly sweeping away all available elective positions, opposition parties in Nasarawa State won seven councillorship seats as a demonstration of the fairness and credibility of the November 2 council polls.

Wandai equally commended political parties for their maturity, lawful conduct, and adherence to peaceful processes throughout the electoral exercise, urging any aggrieved parties to pursue their grievances through the proper legal channels, as the democratic system provides avenues for redress.

It is a statement of fact that, through deliberate efforts and determination to do things differently and to further entrench the culture of true democracy at the grassroots, the Governor Sule administration, through the NASIEC has set a precedence in election management for others to emulate.

Abare is the Special Assistant on Media to the Governor of Nasarawa State