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Tag: Attahiru Jega

  • Electoral stumbling blocks

    Electoral stumbling blocks

    •Jega’s recent complaints make us wonder if he understands his role as umpire

    Predictably, a list of challenges identified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, ahead of the country’s 2015 general elections, has triggered another round of public debate and scepticism about the organisation’s capability to conduct transparent and generally acceptable polls. Coming from the body’s helmsman, the information certainly needs to be taken seriously, and Nigerians must be anxious for reassurance that Jega will be able to surmount the obstacles.

    The venue of the communication, which gave it a keen edge, was the United States (US), suggesting an international dimension that made it even more worrying because it was like alerting the world to the precarious situation. Jega, who took the stage to deliver a keynote address at the inauguration session of the CSIS Nigeria Forum in Washington DC, gave the audience a thought-provoking glimpse into the country’s problematic march to next year’s elections.

    The stumbling blocks, according to him, include insecurity, funding, attitude of the political class, and apathetic and inactive citizenry. Other alleged impediments are delay in amendment to the legal framework, completion of the review of electoral constituencies and polling units, and prosecution of election offenders.

    Against the background of the unsatisfactory 2011 general elections, and the contentious Anambra State governorship poll in November last year, both held under his leadership, Jega has clearly suffered considerable bashing, which interestingly contradicts the initial public warmth that greeted his appointment, based on his perceived potential as a change agent.  To those who now regard him as a disappointment, his latest alarm does not redeem his image.

    However, it is only fair to examine the identified difficulties, especially insecurity and funding, which are quite critical to successful conduct of the elections, and to give Jega some credit for highlighting the possible hindrances. On security, it is hoped, particularly, that the Islamist terrorists in the country’s Northeast would have been neutralised before the elections to allow the people make their electoral choices in a peaceful atmosphere. Additionally, it is important to effectively check other similarly disruptive activities which create insecurity, such as kidnappings, political thuggery and assassination, to mention a few. On funding, it is curious that Jega raised the issue, particularly considering the fact that the commission’s role is expected to come under budgetary cover.  It, therefore, prompts the question whether the government is demonstrating sufficient responsibility by releasing the necessary funds as and when due.  It goes without saying that denying the commission legitimate funds is not only inexcusable; it also cannot be in the best interest of democracy.

    Other problems raised by Jega would seem to require increased political consciousness on the part of the people, greater political will on the part of government, and improved organisation on the part of INEC.

    There is an aspect of Jega’s address that, perhaps inadvertently, tends to make excuses for unconstructive practices in the country’s democratic system.  His apparent rationalisation of such negativities is unacceptable and, in a sense, puts a big question mark on his understanding of his own role. According to him, “We are still nurturing a democratic political culture after many years of military rule and the anti-democratic tendencies it fostered. Our electoral system is therefore work in progress.”  He added, “Democratisation, in all societies, is neither swift nor smooth-sailing. It is a long and tortuous process that takes place in incremental waves.”

    This is the kind of sophistical reasoning that blocks democratic advancement in the country, the idea or implication that it must necessarily take a considerably long period for democracy to flourish. More than any other factor, what it takes is selfless commitment to democratic ideals and practice. The world has generally embraced the concept of “government of the people, for the people and by the people”; and Nigeria must stay on track.

     

  • Insecurity, funding threaten 2015 elections, says Jega

    Insecurity, funding threaten 2015 elections, says Jega

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday listed the challenges before the 2015 elections.

    It promised not to use the Addendum Voter Register (AVR) for the poll.

    The AVR contains the names of those not captured in the Electronic Voter Register (EVR) because of late registration.

    Their names, according to INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega, who spoke in the United States (US), will be transferred to the EVR before the elections to avoid what happened during the Anambra State governorship poll in which the AVR was used.

    In a keynote address at the inauguration session of the CSIS Nigeria Forum in Washington DC, Jega listed the challenges as insecurity; funding; attitude of the political class; apathetic and inactive citizenry; delay in amendment to the legal framework; completion of the review of electoral constituencies and polling units and prosecution of election offenders.

    He said since Nigeria was still a country in transition to democracy, its electoral system is “therefore work in progress.”

    In his powerpoint presentation sent to reporters by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Kayode Idowu, Jega said: “Plans have been finalised to roll out a programme of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) nationwide. The CVR offers fresh opportunity to get more citizens onto the electronic register ahead of the 2015 general elections as we have stopped using the Addendum Register for elections.

    “Our experience in the recent governorship election in Anambra State showed that we have much work to do in convincing the public of the integrity of the register of voters.

    “The consolidation and de-duplication of the biometric of register of voters has been completed, as a result of which the register of voters now has tremendous integrity, much better than the one with which the 2011 elections were conducted. Indeed, it compares favourably with any register of voters on the African continent.

    “Plans have also been concluded to issue all duly registered voters with chip-based permanent voter cards (PVCs) which will be swiped with card readers in the 2015 elections to ensure 100 percent verification and authentication of voters.”

    Jega assured the Civil Society Forum in the US that the 2015 polls would be successful, saying:  ”From the foregoing, we are convinced that the prospects of having remarkably much better elections in 2015 are very bright. But we harbour no illusion that we have accounted for all the issues that could pose challenges for the elections. In fact, there are still a number of key challenges

    ”As far as INEC is concerned, the 2015 general elections will see Nigeria take its rightful place in the global comity of nations where electoral democracy is being consolidated

    “There are, however, still a number of constraints and challenges facing the Commission, as outlined. These challenges are not insurmountable and we will spare no effort to ensure that the aspirations of Nigerians for free, fair, credible and peaceful elections are actualised in 2015.

    “However, bringing this about and ensuring free, fair, credible and peaceful elections is not a task that INEC alone can deliver

    “All stakeholders have important roles to play. We must change attitudes and mind-sets, as well as strengthen partnerships; and collaborative endeavours, to bring this about.

    “We give assurance that preparations by INEC for the 2015 general elections are proceeding in earnest.

    “Learning from the experiences of 2011, especially regarding the need for early preparations, the Commission has undertaken the task of fundamental restructuring of its bureaucracy, established new policies to guide its work and embarked on far-reaching planning of its operations through a Strategic Plan, an Election Project Plan and an Election Management System. These are vigorously being implemented.”

    He said INEC had been trying to effect changes in the Electoral Act, adding: “Drawing from our experience in 2011, recommendations for improvement to the legal framework, especially the Constitution and the Electoral Act, have been submitted to the National Assembly.

    “A committee (COREC) was set up to review the role of the Commission in election-related litigations, and it has made far-reaching recommendations on improvements towards 2015. A programme for the review of electoral constituencies and creation of additional polling units has commenced.

    “All guidelines and regulations on the electoral process are being revised and discussion has commenced with legal experts across the country on how to enact and gazette them.”

    Describing Nigeria as a country in transition to democracy, Jega said: “We are still nurturing a democratic political culture after many years of military rule and the anti-democratic tendencies it fostered. Our electoral system is therefore work in progress

    “The main task is to implement reform measures, aimed at incremental positive changes that are sustainable. Democratisation, in all societies, is neither swift nor smooth-sailing. It is a long and tortuous process that takes place in incremental waves.”

  • 2015: Jega wants RECs, officials to be vigilant

    2015: Jega wants RECs, officials to be vigilant

    •APGA faction to INEC: don’t recognise Umeh

    Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega, has advised Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and officials to be more vigilant and cautious as the country prepares for next year’s general elections.

    This information is contained in the INEC daily bulletin issued by the commission’s Deputy Director (Publicity), Mr Nick Dazang, in Abuja.

    The bulletin said that Jega gave the advice when he addressed the RECs and members of staff during the just-concluded INEC retreat in Kaduna.

    “All eyes are on us, our friends, partners, concerned citizens, and indeed, even our adversaries.

    “We must be more vigilant, be more committed and strengthen our harmony at all levels to achieve the desired results,” the bulletin quoted the chairman as saying.

    Jega, the bulletin said, urged management and staff to do their job with integrity, impartial and non-partisan manner.

    He observed that in reviewing the commission’s sundry programmes and plans to be implemented this year, “it is evident that there will be gaps”.

    It said Jega urged participants at the retreat to ensure that those gaps were filled and that fundamental things that needed to be done were implemented.

    It stated that the commission would ensure that competencies were improved and that those who had the capacity to deliver more efficiently were given the opportunity to do so.

    The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that it was at the retreat that INEC released the timetables for the Osun and Ekiti governorship elections and that of next year’s general elections.

    Also, yesterday, the Chief Maxi Okwu-led faction of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) has asked INEC, not to recognise Chief Victor Umeh as the chairman.

    In a petition to the commission dated January 27, Okwu said that contempt proceedings had been instituted against Umeh and Alhaji Sani Shinkafi, the party’s National Secretary, for undermining the judgment of an Abuja High Court.

    He said that his attention had been drawn to a letter signed by the two ousted officers to the commission in disobedience to court order.

    Okwu, who was recognised as national chairman by the court, said that the former officers had still been parading themselves as chairman and secretary.

    “Our attention has been drawn to a letter addressed to the commission, and co-signed by our erstwhile national chairman and secretary, Alhaji Sani Shinkafi”.

    “This is quite in character since this saga began. Please, note that we have since commenced committal proceedings against them for contempt of court with the issuance of Form 48,” he said.

    The Okwu-led faction advised Prof. Jega, not to undermine the authority of the court.

    The letter said Umeh and Shinkaffi seemed not to know that an application for stay of execution was not a stay of execution.

    “They also mischievously forgot that courts do not stay declaratory relief.

    “In total disobedience to a valid and subsisting final judgment in which Jega and themselves were parties, the duo have been misbehaving as if the country is a jungle where everyman is on his own and only the fittest survive.

    “Since judgment was delivered against them on January 15 to their chagrin, they have used all sorts of unprintable words and guttersnipe language to insult the Judiciary in private and in the media,” it stated.

    Okwu said that on January 18 in a televised show of lawlessness in Awka, the Umeh-led faction gathered at a purported APGA National Executive Council (NEC) meeting.

    “They also claimed to have called a national convention for February 14,” he said.

     

  • CNPP berates SSS for querying ex-FCT minister

    CNPP berates SSS for querying ex-FCT minister

    The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) yesterday condemned the State Security Service (SSS) for questioning former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Malam Nasir el-Rufai.

    The CNPP described the action as bias and unfair.

    It added that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, had made similar statements, like many notable Nigerians, who had not been summoned.

    The CNPP urged the SSS to “restrain in making mountains out of mole hills and embarking on selective amnesia, which casts our security agencies in partisan colours”.

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu, the conference said: “The CNPP has read carefully the statement credited to Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, in which he said there would be violence, if the 2015 elections are not credible, free and fair.

    “We are at a loss how this nimble conditional statement constitutes security threat and is rated weighty enough to attract the attention of the Directorate of State Service {DSS} to arrest him.

    “In our candid view, it smacks of selective justice and gives credence to the watch list, which former President Olusegun Obasanjo harped on in his letter to President Goodluck Jonathan.

    “We hope we are not sliding back to the dark days of dictatorship, when a watch list would drift into a hit list!

     

    “Otherwise, what is harmful in the speech, when it sounds like a rapid response to the explosive pessimistic statement made by the Chief Electoral Officer of the federation, Prof Attahiru Jega, few days earlier that the 2015 elections will not be perfect? It’s a speech couched as if the hurdles before INEC are insurmountable and, therefore, a good excuse to rig the elections. Then argue after the havoc that ‘I told you before’.

    “Or, can we easily forget the explosive statements by the former governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, that stopping President Jonathan in 2015 will have grave consequences? Nor the ones by Alhaji Asari Dokubo and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, all President’s men?

    “Yet, we have no record that any of them has been hounded by the DSS.”

     

     

  • Electronic voting to wait, says Jega

    Electronic voting to wait, says Jega

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has said Nigerians agitating for electronic voting system may have to wait beyond the 2015 elections.

    The INEC chairman said such a voting system would not be feasible for the next elections.

    Jega spoke yesterday in Kaduna at a retreat for INEC national commissioners and directors.

    He noted that though the commission had not given the nation a “perfect” election, it was determined to overcome its challenges.

    The INEC chairman said the constitution prohibits electronic voting, adding: “There is a provision that says electronic voting is prohibited. INEC is law-abiding; we will do what the law say.

    “Unless the Electoral Act is amended to accommodate electronic voting, there is no way we can do electronic voting. Even if that provision is changed, we will still have to look and see whether or not it is feasible. So, to be honest with you, it is unlikely that we will do electronic voting in 2015.”

    Jega said the commission had not done a perfect job because such a feat is difficult for any human being to achieve.

    He said: “On the balance, if you compare the good things we have done with the challenges we have faced, there is no reason to doubt that 2015 will be better.

    “We promised that the 2011 elections would be better than previous elections and we delivered on that promise. We promised that there would be continuous improvement, and in all the governorship elections we have had, you can see improvement.

    “There have been unfortunate reversals. Even with those reversals and the way they were made to appear by the media is different from the actual realities of what happened.

    “People talk of Anambra election as if it was totally bad. There were mistakes, and we admit the mistakes. But we have done everything possible to correct them as we move towards 2015”

  • Jega: we’ll give our best in 2015

    Jega: we’ll give our best in 2015

    The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, has said the electoral body is not promising perfect elections in 2015.

    Jega spoke yesterday in Abuja when he hosted the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James Entwistle, at the INEC Headquarters.

    The INEC chairman said the commission would do its best to give the nation credible polls.

    He said: “We are not promising perfect elections in 2015, but we are confident that we will do our best. We have taken some steps to achieve this. For instance, we’re organising staff training in collaboration with development partners, strategic plans and reorganising the staff. We are planning a retreat to finalise the timetable for 2015.

    “We are still on the continuous voter register and have held meetings with security agencies, civil society organisations (CSOs) and development partners ahead of 2015. While it is the responsibility of INEC to organise civic and other registration awareness, the commission faces challenges of funding as well.

    “It is our responsibility, under the Electoral Act, to do civil education and political education. It has always been challenging because the resources available to discharge that responsibility are usually insufficient, given the enormity of the task of dealing with a large illiterate population and to get them to understand what to do.”

    Entwistle promised America’s support, saying: “I have been here for two and a half months and I want to come over and pay my respect to the chairman of Nigeria’s election commission. That’s because as I have stated clearly in some of my public comments, as Nigerians move to elections next year, the United States stand with Nigeria as it moves towards peaceful and transparent elections.

    “I have to introduce myself and some of my team to the INEC. Obviously, we will work.”

    The envoy spoke on funding of INEC and the activities of politicians.

    He said: “The funding of INEC is a Nigerian matter and that of the National Assembly. But we are looking at a way we can help INEC through different technical funds and so on.

    “In any election campaign, obviously freedom of speech is important. But in all countries, including mine, politicians have a responsibility to be responsible. In talking about the issues, they should be fair in what they say.

    “Any comment by anybody talking about democracies, which will flare up ethnic tensions, promote violence and engage in unfair criticism of the process, is unfortunate and it’s not acceptable…”

    “We just met inside to decide what to do and focus on things, such as polling the capabilities of INEC, perhaps supporting Nigerians observer and other groups. Soon, we will get back to you with the details.”

  • INEC reads riot act to staff

    INEC reads riot act to staff

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned its staff to live above board or be made to face the wrath of the law.

    Resident Electoral Commissioner of Cross River State, Mr. Mike Igini, gave the charge on the heels of a case filed by Akonjom Nsed Ayip against the INEC and Igini challenging his dismissal from service.

    INEC through its Senior Staff Disciplinary Committee had administratively determined the matter in Abuja. The outcome of the findings was the subsequent dismissal of Mr. Akonjom on August 20th, 2013.

    Igini said that prior to the decision to dismiss Mr. Akonjom, the latter had been enmeshed in all manner of controversies which earned him several queries as well as suspension from duty as communicated by the Commission to him in a letter dated 17th May, 2013.”The disciplinary actions were borne out of acts that could undermine the integrity of the commission with respect to his duties in the 2011 elections and on grounds of his dealings with external bodies in a private capacity. Actions, which no doubt, undermined the integrity and public trust on the Commission.

    “The actions of the commission were also based on the fact that Mr. Akonjom held a very sensitive position as Head of the ICT Unit which is key to the Voter Register,” Igini said.

    Akonjom, who has gone to the National Industrial Court in Calabar, is seeking, among other things, that the Court should declare his dismissal as null and void; reinstate him; order the Commission to promote him to the rank which he would have been but for the dismissal; as well as order the payment of all his salaries, allowances or emoluments which he would have been entitled to but for the dismissal.

    While reiterating INEC’s commitment to discipline, Igini said the current INEC administration, under the leadership of Prof. Attahiru Jega, has continued to advise staff against unruly behaviour capable of bringing the Commission into disrepute.

    “At all times and as we approach the 2015 elections, the commission will continue to admonish and send parking all those found taking compromising positions that could undermine the thrust of the commission’s duty to implement the electoral roles fully, fairly and impartially in order to sustain our democracy.”

  • ‘Jega, apologise to Yobe people’

    ‘Jega, apologise to Yobe people’

    The Network of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria has called on the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Prof. Attahiru Jega to apologise to Yobe people over his statement that the state is unsafe to hold election in 2015.

    National Coordinator and Team Leader Kalu Victor noted that since the council poll was conducted under a peaceful atmosphere, Jega ought to apologise to the people.

    The group praised the electoral body for the arrangement and distribution of materials, which it observed, was fair and satisfactory.

    It hailed the efforts of the security agents for ensuring and maintaining peace throughout the election.

  • INEC seeks powers to disqualify candidates

    INEC seeks powers to disqualify candidates

    •Makes case for Diaspora voters

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is seeking powers to disqualify candidates who do not satisfy the requirements for the positions they are contesting for.

    The electoral umpire wants its independence to be constitutionally guaranteed in all its operations and in its management and control of the electoral process, as was the case in Decree (now Act) 17 of 1998 which first established the Commission before the 1999 Constitution.

    It also wants any person convicted of an electoral offence to be disqualified for 10 years from the date of conviction from contesting any election or holding any party office.

    INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega spoke at a retreat on the 2010 Electoral Act organised by the Senate Committee on the review of the 1999 Constitution.

    Jega said: “With such decisions as Atiku Abubakar V INEC and the proviso to Section 31 of the amended Electoral Act, the Commission has no right to prevent even an obviously unqualified or disqualified person from being on the ballot.

    “For example, it cannot prevent an under-aged or foreign citizen from contesting the election, even when this is obvious from the documents submitted or even a person who admits that he presented a forged certificate to the Commission if it seeks to disqualify such persons. The Commission must go to court. This is not desirable.

    “Paragraph F, item 15 of the Third Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria1999 (as amended) dealing with the powers of the Commission to be further amended by inserting the clause ‘disqualify candidates who evidently do not satisfy the requirements for the position he/she is contesting for as provided’ in relevant Sections of the Constitution.

    Jega said that it should be enacted a new Section (3) to Section 158 providing as follows Section 158(3) “The Independent National Electoral Commission shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other authority or person in all its operations”.

    He said the Commission shall notify the political party of the disqualification of its candidate and the grounds for the disqualification.

    The INEC boss said it was desirable that every candidate who aspires to govern shall be a registered voter.

    He said the clause “he is registered to vote” should be inserted as paragraph to sub Section(2) of Section 65 and as paragraph (e) of Sections 106, 131 and 177 of the Constitution.

    On disqualification of electoral offenders, Jega said any person convicted of an Electoral Offence (including registration offence, campaign finance breaches and breach of political party finance provision) should be disqualified for a period of 10 years from the date of the conviction from contesting any election or holding party position.

    He would like the clause ‘Within a period of 10 years before the date of the election, he has been convicted of an electoral offence by a court of tribunal” inserted immediately after each of paragraph (d) of Sections 66, 107,137,and 182 of the Constitution.

    Jega said interested Nigerians who are of age but resident overseas should be allowed to register and vote.

    He said that the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) empowers INEC to deregister political parties that fail to win at least a seat in a state Assembly.

    The chairman spoke also on the clamour for the registration of more parties, saying it continued to rise.

    He said that whereas the Constitution allows for freedom of association it is practically impossible to have all registered political parties on the ballot.

    Jega said that INEC should be empowered, in consultation with political parties to determine the criteria for getting on the ballot.

    The criteria, in his view, should include payment of fees prescribed by the Commission, securing of certain percentage of votes at general elections and winning seats in the legislative election.

    Jega said Sections 134 and 179 of the Constitution, which deals with Presidential and governorship election should be amended by adding the word “valid” before “vote” wherever this appears in the Sections so as to remove any ambiguity.

    Candidates “should be elected on valid votes cast only”.

    Jega suggests the establishment of an Electoral Offences Tribunal to guarantee timely prosecution of electoral offenders.

    He said INEC should be empowered to appoint dates the presidential, governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections will hold.

    Jega suggested that Section 8 of the Electoral Act be amended to include a statutory tenure for the Secretary of the Commission to wit: “The secretary shall serve for a period of four years which may be renewable or another period of four years only.”

    The INEC chief suggested that political parties be made to substitute their unqualified candidates with the second runners up during the primaries.

    He said: “It is suggested that subsection (6) of Section 31 be amended to make provision that where the court finds that a candidate submitted by a political party did not meet the qualifications required for contesting the election.

    “Where, however, the person has been elected, the court shall order the person to vacate the office and the candidate with the second highest votes cast who has met constitutional requirement for the post shall be declared elected.

    “This suggestion is to avoid the waste of public funds to repeat election consequent upon removal of disqualified candidates.”

    He recommended that subsection (8) of Section 31 be amended to increase the fine awarded against a political party which submits the name of an unqualified candidate to the Commission.

    “This is because the fine provided therein is inadequate as a deterrent. Thus, Section 31 be amended in subsection (8) by substituting for the figure N500,000 the figure N1million,” Jega said.

    He added: “Guided by the provisions of Section 87 of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) which requires candidates of political parties to emerge from democratically conducted primary elections, it is recommended that where a candidate who won a primary election and whose name was submitted to the Commission dies or withdraws from the election, the political party which nominated that candidate shall submit to the Commission the name of the candidate who scored the second highest number of votes at the primaries as the substitute candidate.

    “Section 45 allows political parties to notify the Commission of the appointment of Polling Agents in writing at least seven days before the date of the election. In order to give political parties sufficient time to sort out who their agents should be. It is suggested that the time should be extended to 14 day.

    “Sections 48, 49, 50, 52, 54, 55, and 60 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) which provide details on the procedure to vote at an election are restrictive and do not allow for improvement on procedure for voting. It is suggested that INEC be allowed, through Regulations/Guidelines, to determine the mode of voting at an election.

    “Section 77 provides for access to polling documents. Political parties and candidates should be allowed to inspect polling documents, but the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) should only release Certified True Copies (CTCs) not the original documents.

    “Section 77 should be amended accordingly. It is however suggested that in view of the number of applications and the volume of the documents required, the time within which the REC shall certify or cause certified true copies of the documents to be issued should be reviewed upward from seven days to 14 days.

    “Whereas subsection (6) of Section 100 of the Electoral Act makes provisions to sanction any media house that violates the provisions of Section 100 of the Electoral A t, no sanction is provided similar to Section 101 against principal officers of the media house involved in the crime. Provision should therefore be made to sanction principal officers and other officers of the media house involved in the crime.

    “Thus Section 100 be amended by substituting for the existing subsection (6) a new subsection “(6)” – ‘100(6) Any person who contravenes subsections (3) and (4) of this sections commits an offence and upon conviction is liable: (a) in the case of a public media to a maximum of fine of N500,000 in the first instance and to a maximum fine of N1million or subsequent conviction; and in the case of principal officer(s) and other officer(s) of the media house to a maximum fine of N500,000 or go imprisonment for a term of 12 months.’

    “Paragraph 51(1) and 51(2) should be deleted as it contradicts Section 137(3) of the Act which says the petitioner need not join the Electoral Officer, Polling Officer, or Returning Officer.

    “Furthermore, the Commission is an independent body established by the Constitution, it is unconstitutional for a schedule to require it or its officials o consult or seek the approval or consent of the Attorney General in any matter in court. The Commissions’s discretion should be completely unfettered. The reference to the Attorney General in this schedule should be deleted.”

    He said even though the Constitution empowers the Commission to create electoral constituencies subject to approval of the National Assembly, “experience has shown that the National Assembly may delay consideration of the proposal.”

    He added: “It is recommended that a provision be made in the Electoral Act stating that when the proposal for creation of constituencies is made to the National Assembly, the proposal shall be deemed approved if no response from the National Assembly is received by the Commission within a period of three months from the date of presentation.”

  • Shettima, Geidam reject Jega’s proposal

    Shettima, Geidam reject Jega’s proposal

    •Say election must hold in states 2015

    Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima yesterday said plans to suspend election in Borno, Yobe and other insurgency flashpoints in 2015 is a defeatist approach and a setback for Nigeria.

    His Yobe State counterpart, Ibrahim Geidam, said the plan will give Boko Haram a feeling of triumph.

    Their comments followed a statement by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, that election might not hold in flashpoint states.

    But Geidam said the December 28 local government election will go on as planned.

    Shettima said he is hopeful that peace would have returned to states which Boko Haram has been holding hostage.

    He said a special security arrangement for the affected states would have been better than out rightly succumbing to Boko Haram threats.

    The governor stated that Borno is safer now than when the 2011 poll was conducted.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Communication, Mallam Isa Gusau, the governor said: “One important thing we should not ignore as a sovereign country is that suspending national election on account of Boko Haram activities would amount to making the insurgents supreme over the republic, it will be defeatist on our part as a nation.

    “The goal of Boko Haram is to impose its beliefs on us, subvert our constitution and our democracy and replace them with inhuman laws that support killings and destructions and should we suspend election in any part of the country, the insurgents would be presupposed successful on their part and itching close to achieving their goals and we cannot allow that.

    “We must insist that Nigeria is our sovereign country, we are the majority and a few cannot violently force their views on us.

    “I expect that as a strategy, Borno and Yobe and indeed any place so affected by the insurgents, should be the main focus for conduct of the 2015 elections so that we send a clear message to those who want us to go into extinction that we will not cave in to their violent needs, we will move on.

    “This is why, governance hasn’t for one day, stopped in Borno State. With Allah’s help made through the sacrifices, rooted support and prayers of our citizens, we have continued to rebuild and reinvent our very dear state.

    “I, therefore, call on the Federal Government, stakeholders and friends of Nigeria to look at the issue with analytical mindset far beyond what reasons we might be talking about now.

    Geidam made his position known in a statement through his Special Adviser on Press Affairs and Information, Abdullahi Bego. He said: “There is no reason why Boko Haram should not be routed out by security forces.

    “The state of emergency in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states, renewed for additional six months last November, is due to expire in April.

    “By INEC’s own estimation, the 2015 general elections will hold in January-February 2015. That’s at least eight months after the current state of emergency would have lapsed. Is the INEC National Chairman therefore predicting that the emergency situation will extend indefinitely?

    “The Yobe State government also believes that there is no reason why Boko Haram terrorists would not be routed, their activities stopped and peace and stability restored within the remaining months of the current emergency rule.”