The Nation Newspaper

Tag: CODER

  • CODER to INEC: learn from Anambra election

    The Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER) yesterday urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to learn a lesson from the mistakes made in the Anambra State governorship election.

    The group’s Public Affairs Secretary, Mr. Olabisi Balogun, said in a statement that the commission should conduct a rerun in the areas where there were irregularities before the declaration of the results.

    CODER said: “We join other Nigerians to call on INEC not to declare any result relating to the election until a rerun is conducted in the local governments where many citizens were disenfranchised.

    “CODER also appeals to INEC and the security agencies not only to document but also to put to use the lessons learnt from this election to improve the conduct of future ones.”

    The statement said the election was greeted with much anticipation and hope because INEC and Nigerians see it as a litmus test for the 2015 general elections. CODER praised Anambra people for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner.

    It also lauded INEC for providing observers with kits and proper identification to curb impersonation and difficulty in distinguishing duly accredited observers from impostors.

    The statement noted that “reports from our observers deployed in the state shows critical areas the election has fallen short of people’s expectations. Some of the irregularities observed in some local governments include ballot snatching, massive thumb-printing, lateness of materials to polling units, absence of INEC officials and materials at some polling units, inadequate logistic provision for security officers deployed from other states, hostility of polling officers to observers, complicity of the security agents in electoral fraud observed, display of campaign posters and others.

    “CODER observed that election materials did not arrive on time in many polling units, specifically in Idemili North, South and Ihiala local governments. In Nnokwa Ward, Idemili South Local Government, names starting with O-Z were missing from the voter register. As at 1pm, no INEC officials or materials were seen at Nkpor 4, Idemili North Local Government. Following the late arrival of voting materials, accreditation could not start in time in Idemili South, Idemili North and Ogbaru local governments. Although accreditation and voting periods were extended in some of these polling units, INEC needs to do more to enhance people’s confidence in election.

    “CODER observers report that many polling officers in Awka South were hostile and seem not to possess the knowledge of the role of observers in an election. Information that would help observers fill their checklists were denied them and security officials were used to intimidate and harass accredited observers. We therefore seize this opportunity to urge INEC to train its polling officers on the complementary role observers play in an election before deploying them.

    “To give the Anambra State election credibility, INEC should conduct a rerun in four local governments where massive irregularities and electoral fraud were recorded as against the three wards in Idemili North comprising only 65 polling units.

    “The reason for this call is to address the palpable notion that there was a deliberate attempt to subvert people’s choice and ensure that a particular candidate, whose supporters and strong base are in these local governments, does not win in these areas. The second reason is that with the combined voting population of these local governments at over 300,000, it becomes imperative for INEC to show itself as an unbiased umpire by adhering to the wishes of the people to have rerun in these three local governments.”

  • CODER to INEC: Conduct rerun in disputed LGAs

    The Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms on Sunday asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct a rerun election in four local governments where alleged irregularities and electoral frauds were recorded.

    It said this was necessary in order to increase the poll credibility instead of holding it in 65 polling units as proposed.

    The coalition in a statement also urged INEC not to declare any results relating to the election until a rerun election is conducted in the disputed local governments “where many citizens were disenfranchised from exercising their constitutional rights.”

    While commending the people of Anambra for conducting themselves in peaceful manner during the election, it said reports from observers indicated that the election fell short of the people’s expectations.

    According to CODER, some of the irregularities observed in some local governments include ballot snatching, massive thump printing, lateness of materials to polling units, absence of INEC officials and materials at some polling units, inadequate logistic provision for security officers deployed from other states, hostile polling officers to observers, complicity of the security agents in electoral fraud, display of campaign posters and a host of other irregularities.

    The coalition noted that election materials did not arrive on time in many polling units, specifically in Idemili North, South and Ihiala local governments.

    “In Nnokwa Ward, Idemili South LGA, names starting with O-Z were missing from voters’ register.

    “As at 1pm, no INEC officials or materials were seen in Nkpor 4, Idemili North LGA. As a result of late arrivals of voting materials, accreditation could not start on time in Idemili South, Idemili North and Ogbaru LGAs. Although accreditation and voting periods were extended in some of these polling units, INEC needs to do more to enhance people’s confidence in the polls.

    “Furthermore, observers reported that many polling officers in Awka south were hostile and seem not to possess the knowledge of the role of observers in an election. Information that would help observers fill their checklists were denied them and security officials were used to intimidate and harass duly accredited observers. We therefore seize this opportunity to call on INEC to provide adequate training for its polling officers on the complimentary role observers plays in an election before deploying them to the field, “CODER stated.

     

     

  • Presidency’s action saddening, says CODER

    The convener of the Coalition for Democratic Reforms (CODER), Mr. Ayo Opadokun, has condemned the declaration of a state of emergency in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states. He described it as another sad development.

    He said: “I condemn the declaration of state of emergency in the three states of the Northeastern part of Nigeria. The action is adoption of an easy option in a very dangerous national crisis. I believe that the damage that will be done to the corporate existence of Nigeria by this declaration will dent the image of Nigeria as an unstable democratic state. Any re-adoption of the use of force to whip the people into shape is tenuous and indicative of a ruler of a state that has not the capacity to govern.

    “I, therefore, call on President Goodluck Jonathan to do the needful in this circumstance now that Boko Haram has again rejected the offer made to it. The real militant group in Nasarawa has butchered over 50 policemen and the Boko Haram killed more than 100 people last week.

    “My honest advice to President Jonathan is that he should summon courage to consult with the leadership of ethnic nationalities in Nigeria ( the ethnic nationalities that were the building blocks upon which Lord Lugard constructed this unworkable Nigeria project), for the purposes of convoking a sovereign national conference to answer the national questions once and for all.

    “The founding fathers of Nigeria agreed to be part of Nigeria on the basis of true federalism; that is what is missing. Until all nationalities sit down in a representative assembly with other stakeholders, we are likely to have the kind of scenario that we are currently experiencing.”

  • CODER: Nigeria must be restructured

    •Criticises Jonathan’s anti-corruption fight

    The Convener of the Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms (CODER), Chief Ayo Opadokun, has said despite the abundant petrodollar in Nigeria, the nation has the most wretched people in Africa because of the country’s flawed structure.

    Opadodun addressed reporters in Offa, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, his country home, where he restated the need for the country to be restructured.

    The former Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group Afenifere chieftain said President Goodluck Jonathan lacked the commitment and will power to fight corruption.

    He said: “Even with abundance of petrodollar in this environment, the most wretched people in the entire sub-continent of Africa reside in Nigeria. This is because we have refused to do the correct thing. The first significant step to take is that this country must be restructured. We are saying the only people that must legitimately be given the democratic privilege to sit down in representatives’ assembly are principally the ethnic nationalities.

    “They were the building blocks upon which Lord Lugard constructed the edifice they called Nigeria. The ethnic nationalities, along with other stakeholders – civil societies, professionals, etc – let us meet together to answer just two basic questions. These are on our staying together as a people and on what stand, the modus operandi, the rule of engagement of our relationship. We must answer those two questions.

    “It’s then we can have our own Magna Carta, our own Bill of Rights, as they do have in Britain and the United States of America. It is from then we can write our own Constitution that is indigenous.

    “All the Constitutions we had before 1963 were programmed by the Colonial Office of Great Britain in London. Five years into our so-called Independence, the military struck. Since then, all other constitutions have been programmed, facilitated and approved by the military.

    “So, Nigerians have not been given the opportunity to determine their nationhood; that’s the reason Nigeria remains a country instead of a nation. We have had the opportunity to turn around the fortune of the country but that had been messed up by the political elite either in uniform or agbada.”

    On Jonathan’s anti-corruption drive, Opadokun said: “I don’t believe President Jonathan can fight corruption. I am not saying this for the first time. I have been very straightforward and consistent about my position. I have no doubt in my mind that the factor that produced him was corruption-soaked and corruption-laden. He would be committing suicide if he says he will fight corruption.

    “The government has been prevaricating on the challenge ex-Minister of Education, Dr Oby Ezekwesili, threw at the government. They have been going round; they have not responded. She has asked that they engage her for a discussion over the matter.

    “She said the government she served left over 60billion foreign exchange dollarised before we left office. I will be pleasantly surprised if they can respond to that. Though if you ask me, I don’t think there is commitment and the will power to fight corruption.”