By joshua CITIZENS MUST CONTINUE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ELECTORAL PROCESS TO SUSTAIN DEMOCRACY AT SUBNATIONAL LEVEL.
*REPORTS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS CONDUCTED ON 17TH OCTOBER 2026 IN KOGI STATE BY STATE INDEPENDENT ELECTORAL COMMISSION (SIEC) AS OBSERVED BY CONSCIENCE FOR HUMAN RIGHT AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION (CHRCR).*
*INTRODUCTION*
Local government elections remain the closest form of election and democracy to the people. They determine who manages community resources, and are expected to deliver basic services, and represent citizens at the grass roots, as provided by various laws and the constitution.
“In exercise of the powers conferred on the Kogi State Independent Electoral Commission (KOSIEC) by Section 197 (1)(b) and Paragraph 3 of Part II of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022, the Commission hereby releases the Timetable and the Schedule of Activities for the conduct of the 2026 Local Government Council Elections in Kogi State.”
The timetable and other elections was release by KOSIEC on Wednesday 22nd October 2025 on compliance with various laws as indicated above, which was one year leading to the conclusions of the elections activities on the 17th October, 2026
*PRE-ELECTION ACTIVITIES*
It was observed that State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) organized various activities leading to the Elections, participated and witnessed by CHRCR.
CHRCR made its radio platform available to SIEC officials in partnership for voters’ education and citizens mobilizations. CHRCR also published documents for various SIEC activities in its monthly magazine. _*(The Perspective Magazine)*_
It was observed with disappointment that various political parties expected to lead the various activities on voters education and mobilization are no were to be found. Despite are the primary beneficiary.
CHRCR applied and was accredited as one observer towards the 17th October 2026 local Government elections, and also participated in pre-elections with observers by SIEC, were observers materials were distributed to various accredited observers.
CHRCR witness and confirmed distributions of electoral materials to various local government areas on the 16th October 2026, a day before the schedule elections of 17th October 2026 along with various security personnel which include Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and The Department of State Security (DSS).
*ELECTION DAY*
CHRCR deployed few observers to observed the elections and had contact with various observers across the state on election day.
*OBSERVATIONS ON ELECTION DAY*
• Elections were held in some polling units and while many polling units observed did not have election officials and materials, even where they were available they did come late as to the time announced by SIEC, even in Lokoja the state headquarters.
• There was no display of voter’s register and election postal to indicate where elections were supposed to be held.
• There were present Security personnel in many polling units observed early enough which is commendable
• There were not many political party agents present as expected in many polling units observed
• The elections itself recorded a very low turn out in many polling unit observed as the voters seems not to have enough confident, motivation and the right information to enable them cast their votes
• Despite one or few hiccups observed as enumerated above in the election, the process was peaceful
• The election results was declared at about 1:00am on 18th October 2026. the winners of elections were declared by the SIEC chairman in confirmation of what was sent by various Local government, returning officers and witness by some observers, security personnel, and the media
• We also witness that some media were also available at some polling units.
• We also witness some observers were present at some polling units, particularly in Lokoja the State Headquarters.
• It was also observed that international donors and agencies did not support and participate in the buildup and during the local government elections in Kogi State which has been the practiced and worrisome, as election at subnational level is as importance as elections at national level.
*RECOMMENDATIONS:*
To encourage sustainable democracy and citizens participation at sub-national level particularly in Kogi. We recommend the following:
• SIEC should urgently organized one day debriefing with participants drawn from various stakeholders that participated on the elections process and on election day proper, which include Security Agencies, Election Accredited Observers, Political Parties, Election Officers and the Media, to assess the overall performance of SIEC and the elections outcome, to identify what has work well, what did not work well, and the areas of improvement for future elections
• The non restrictions of movement of citizens on election day as witness on the 17th October 2026 should be sustained and encouraged
• That in the subsequent elections adequate mobilization, voters and civic education should be carried out by various stakeholders, particularly the Political parties.
• Adequate information on electoral process should be made available to citizens and voters to build their confidence in the electoral process.
• We call on SIEC to publish the Result of elections on their newly acquired website, and make the information available to citizens and to further create more social media platforms and encouraged digitalization of its activities in this digital age.
• We call on the state government to acquire a permanent site and building, urgently for SIEC with modern equipment.
• We also call on Kogi State government to build permanent offices and equipment in all the Local Governments just the INEC does at National level, the staff of SIEC should be professionalized for optimal performance as the current practice where staff of SIEC are remove and transfer at random from various ministries and agencies of government does not encourage professionalism in election related matters
• In compliance with the 2025 Local Government Laws as amended, we call on Kogi State Government to make all resources, money deducted from local government allocation made directly to SIEC as provided by the Law
• We call on Political Party to always abide by the rules as provided in the Law and participate activistly and diligently and stop the insinuation of malpractice even before elections are conducted.
• We call on the citizens to take interest in electoral process and support electoral body adequately to enable conduct free and fair elections in Nigeria.
• Citizens must also stop carrying out fake news and misinformation before, during and after the elections as it undermined the electoral process
• We call on the Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to take more interest and participate in electoral process to guarantee democracy and good governance.
*APPRECIATION*
We appreciate the diligent and sustainable partnership between the CSOs particularly CHRCR, the Media and State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) and call for its sustainability. We commend the peaceful conduct of political parties and their candidates before, during and after the elections. We urge those who were grieved on the outcome of the local government elections not to take laws into their hands and approach the election tribunal.
*Signed*
*IDRIS MILIKI ABDUL,*
Executive Director,
CHRCR, Lokoja Kogi State.
Date: 19th October, 2026