Elections can't be conducted same day -INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said legal constraints will not allow it to conduct all elections in the country same day.

The commission said it could only conduct elections according to the existing laws - 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act - and court rulings.

INEC was reacting to the calls by the apex body of northern Nigeria, Arewa Consultative Forum, that all elections should be held concurrently to reduce national expenditure on elections and electoral irregularities.

The Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, however, told our correspondent there were also disadvantages in conducting all elections same time.

He said, 'The laws prescribe the sequential procedure. Of course, the proposal (same-day elections) has advantages and disadvantages. The point I'm making is that it is a legally constituted body and operates by the law, and the law provides a framework.

'Go to the Electoral Act, the constitution even says 'one election will be conducted, another one will be conducted and another one will be conducted. The INEC cannot do otherwise.'

When asked if the law was the only impediment, Idowu said, 'As it stands, it is the law.' He however declined to mention the merits and the demerits of conducting elections same day.

The ACF had in a communication issued after its general meeting on September 25, 2013, said after considering the factors militating against good conduct of free and fair elections 'over the years,' it insisted that the INEC should conduct all five elections - presidential, governorship, National Assembly, state assemblies and local government council - on the same day.

The document read, 'It is the considered opinion of ACF that such an arrangement will cut cost of elections and reduce problems of logistics and do away with bandwagon effects that are associated with staggered elections.

'If other African countries can do it, Nigeria can also do so.'