The Nation Newspaper

Tag: electoral

  • TMG faults Buhari’s refusal to sign Electoral Amendment bill

    The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG)  has expressed concerns on the refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the Electoral Amendment Bill.
    The group in a statement signed by its chairperson, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi said the President’s refusal was capable of undermining the marginal gains towards achieving credibility in the electoral system.
    TMG had in the past raised concerns over the time-frame for the amendment of the electoral act and its likely implication to the 2019 Elections.
    Condemning the act, Dr. Akiyode-Afolabi said: “While TMG recognizes this fundamental challenge, the reasons upon which the presidency is hinging its withholding of assent on is unattainable, as the journey to the version passed into law by the legislature is a product of extensive deliberation between the executive and legislature.”
    The group also called on the President to reconsider his position, assent to the bill and save the country the uncertainty that his actions might cast on the integrity and credibility of the 2019 general elections. 
    Dr. Akiyode-Afolabi while admitting that the  elections must respect international standards and protocols, noted that the ECOWAS protocol on elections on which the presidency hinges part of the decisions that forbids amendments to laws six months to an election must be properly situated and the context within which that provision was made be properly articulated.
    She said: “The provision was made to deter sight tight leaders in the region from making fundamental changes to their laws to hold onto power and gain unfair advantage in the electoral process, in this case there seems to be a general consensus and agreement of all stakeholders on the urgent necessity of the amendments to the Electoral Act.”
    Dr. Akiyode-Afolabi also reiterated the fact that the amendment as it is, gives no candidate any advantage rather it provides a level playing field to all the players in the elections and therefore the argument of the ECOWAS protocol is not tenable.
    “The Presidency rather is taking undue advantage of its political power to rescind ascent on an issue of utmost importance to the people without being mindful of the implication on the 2019 Elections and the credibility of elections in Nigeria.”
    She also said the amendments would have addressed some gaps in the present electoral act that had negatively affected the credibility of  Nigeria’s elections in the past and incorporated some of the recent innovations and developments in the system.
    She also said the off season elections had given INEC reasonable time and grounds to try out some of these key innovations especially bordering on the application of technology such as the elimination of manual accreditation which had been one of the biggest challenge of dealing with rigging in the country.
    While noting that the law does not totally address some of the key issues the TMG has raised in the past such as electoral offenses among others, the amendment she said will help to consolidate the gains made so far in strengthening the electoral system and protect the integrity and credibility of the process while providing the framework for progress in the future
    “The current impasse further serves to cast doubts on the commitment of the government to credible free and fair elections in the country.”
    “The TMG as a matter of urgency calls on the President to reconsider his position, assent to the bill and save the country the uncertainty that his actions might cast on the integrity and credibility of the 2019 general elections.”
    Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi while  reiterating the fact that the survival of Nigeria’s democracy is more important than the interest of its political actors called on all Nigerians to use all the legitimate means possible to hold the leaders and institutions to account on delivering on the 2019 elections.

  • Electoral committee’s decision unacceptable

    A front-runner for the NFF presidency Aminu Maigari has described as “unacceptable” the decision of the electoral committee to issue him “provisional clearance” after they had earlier cleared him for the polls.

    “The decision of the electoral committee is unacceptable after I was cleared to run for this elections. I believe that there is a deadline for the hearing of petitions, not just a few hours to the elections,” the former NFF boss told SCORENigeria.

    He further said he will appeal the decision of the electoral committee. Maigari also said the original copies of his school certificates are intact and are readily available for any examination.

    “I have my original certificates fully supported by all the necessary documentation and they are available for anyone who cares to examine them,” he maintained.

  • Buhari again declines assent to Electoral bill

    President Muhammadu Buhari again has declined assent to the Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2018.
    The President had earlier declined assent to the bill twice.
    Speaking with State House correspondents on Monday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly matters (Senate), Ita Enang said that the President in a communication to the Senate and the House of Representatives dated 30th August, 2018 conveyed his latest decision.
    According to him, the President again declined assent because of some drafting issues that remained unaddressed.
     He said “His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, has by communication dated August 30, 2018, to the Senate and the House of Representatives declined Assent to the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2018.
    “I pray for leave, that in view of public interest, the fact of the National Assembly vacation, the imperative to avoid speculation and misinformation, that I give just a few of the rationale by Mr. President.
    ‘’Mr. President is
    ‘’declining assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill due to some drafting issues that remain unaddressed following the prior revisions to the Bill.’’
    “Mr. President invites the Senate and House of Representatives to address these issues as quickly as possible so that he may grant President Assent to the Electoral Amendment Bill.
    “A few of the outstanding issues are:
      ‘’There is a cross referencing error in the proposed amendment to Section 18 of the Bill. The appropriate amendment is to substitute the existing sub-section (2) with the proposed subsection (1A), while the proposed sub-section (1B) is the new sub-section (2A)’’
    ‘’The proposed amendment to include a new Section 87 (14) which stipulates a specific period within which political party primaries are required to be held has the unintended consequence of leaving INEC with only 9 days to collate and compile lists of candidates and political parties as well manage the primaries of 91 political parties for the various elections.
    “This is because the Electoral Amendment Bill does not amend sections 31, 34 and 85 which stipulates times for the submission of lists of candidates, publication of lists of candidates and notice of convention, congresses for nominating candidates for elections.’’
    For clarity, may I provide some details of the provisions referenced.
    Clause 87 (14) states
    ‘’The dates for the primaries shall not be earlier than 120 days and not later than 90 days before the date of elections to the offices.
    The Electoral Act 2010 referred to herein states; in Section 31:
    Section 31:  ‘’That every Political Party shall not later than 60 days before the date appointed for a       general election submit to the Commission the list of candidates the party proposes to sponsor at the elections.
    “Section 34:
                   ‘’That the Commission shall at least 30 days before the day of the election publish a statement of the full names and addresses of all candidates standing nominated.
    “Section 85 (1)
                  “That a Political Party shall give the Commission at least Twenty-one days’ notice of any convention, congress etc., for electing members of its executive committees or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices.’’
    “For the avoidance of doubt, neither the Constitution nor any written law allows a President or a Governor to whom a Bill is forwarded by the Legislature to edit, correct, amend or in any manner alter the provisions of any such Bill to reflect appropriate intent before Assenting to same. He is to ASSENT in the manner it is or to withhold ASSENT.” he said
    According to him, he said that the President has taken same action on seven other bills.
    The seven bills earlier transmitted, he said, include National Agricultural Seeds Council Bill, 2018, The Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences (Amendment) Bill, 2017, The Chartered Institute of Entrepreneurship (Establishment) Bill, 2018, The Subsidiary Legislation (Legislative Scrutiny) Bill, 2018, National Institute of Hospitality and Tourism (Establishment) Bill, 2018, National Research and Innovation Council (Establishment) Bill, 2017, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (Amendment) Bill, 2017.”
    “Mr. President has communicated his ACTION to the National Assembly.” he stated

  • Kaduna electoral commission office gutted by fire days to LG polls

    The Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (KAD-SIECOM) head office was on Saturday morning gutted by fire less than a month to the local government elections in the state.
    The cause of the fire could not be ascertained as at the time our Correspondent visited the scene.
    However, the commission’s chairman, Dr. (Mrs) Saratu Binta Dikko-Audu who briefed the press later in the afternoon confirmed that the fire started around 10:30am, saying that, it affected all the offices on the 2nd floor of the two storey building.
    According to her, “the offices affected are that of the Chairman, legal and finance departments and conference room.”
    “No life was lost, and there were no injuries recorded. At the time the fire started, the members of the Commission were in an emergency meeting in the Chairman’s office.
    “The ground floor, 1st floor and stores were not affected by the fire. The losses incurred will take a few days to determine.
    “The fire service and Police are investigating the immediate and remote causes of the fire,” The chairman added.
    She however declined providing answers to questions by newsmen.
    Meanwhile, mixed reactions have continued to trail the root cause of the fire outbreak.
    Reacting, a front runner for the Kaduna Central senatorial seat under the platform of All Progressives Congress, Alhaji Lawa Adamu popularly known as Mr. LA described the incident as unfortunate and a drawback to the efforts of the state government and the APC to build strong democratic institutions.
    Mr. LA, who spoke through an aide, Abdulazeez Suleiman, said it is regrettable that such ugly incident should occur at a time when the state is preparing for election into local government offices.
    However, the Green Party of Nigeria (GPN) has commiserated with the commission and the state government over the unfortunate fire incidence but insisted that the election must hold as scheduled.
    Chairman, GPN in Kaduna, Ahmed Mohammed Zagi in a statement said, his party believed in true and genuine democracy and of the view that the local government areas which are the closest to the grassroots deserve to be administered by elected representatives at the council and ward levels.
    “GPN has committed a lot of resources in preparing for the poll and would not hesitate to seek redress in court of law  if the poll fail to hold as scheduled.
    “We therefore, insist that the local council poll will still hold as scheduled, while calling on the state government and law enforcement agencies to fully investigate the incidences surrounding the fire outbreak to erase suspicions of sabotage from those who may not want the polls to hold”, he added.

  • Electoral crisis looms in Onitsha main market

    Pension is brewing in the Power, Tools and Allied Products section of Bridge Head Market, Onitsha, Anambra State, ahead of its election, following alleged plot by some members of the Board of Trustees to rig the April 26 election in favour of a board member, Sylvester Ahanonu.

    Some members dissatisfied with the alleged plot have threatened to shut the market should the election be manipulated.

    This was contained in a petition addressed to the Commissioner for Trade, Commerce, and Industry, Ifeatu Onyejeme, titled: “Wake of crises, impending doom, calamity, disorderliness and bloodshed waiting to happen in the proposed election of the Power, Tools and Allied Products Dealers Association.” It was signed by the group’s counsel, Emmanuel C. Ezemenari.

    The petition read: “On this score, members privy to their plan to rig the election have promised to match their fraudulent plan with violent reaction, which might likely turn bloody.

    “They have vowed to unleash violence by ensuring the disruption of the election, or fighting back to cause serious catastrophe that day since the incumbent executive, in active connivance with the trustees, are trying to surcharge them to cover up their fraudulent practice while in office.”

    Efforts to speak with Ahanonu were unsuccessful as he neither picked his call nor replied his text messages.

  • Act on electoral offences tribunal, independent candidacy, Bourdex tasks Senate

    Act on electoral offences tribunal, independent candidacy, Bourdex tasks Senate

    All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Board of Trustees member, Dr. David Onuoha-Bourdex, has expressed surprise that the Senate did not go the whole hog to strengthen the Electoral Act by prescribing stiffer punishment for poll offenders.

    While commending the 8th Senate for the bold and timely review of the 2010 Electoral Act, he noted that apart from legislating fines for electoral officers that may engage in tampering and manipulation of votes, there is need for an electoral offences tribunal.

    Bourdex, who was the APGA Senatorial candidate for Abia North District in the 2015 National Assembly Election, disclosed that experience has shown that whenever such revolutionary legislations, as the inclusion of full electronic voting are made, unscrupulous politicians begin to explore loopholes.

    “Therefore because of imperfection of human insight, there is need to institute electoral offences tribunal to show seriousness over electoral malfeasance. It is the lack of appropriate mechanism to punish offenders that has helped to embolden enemies of real democracy to breach the law,” he stressed.

    Recalling the imperfections of the 2015 election, the telecom expert noted that the use of incidence forms proved a ready gateway for unpopular candidates to undermine popular vote, insisting that until there is institutional checks and enforcement mechanism, good laws will remain impotent in addressing flaws in Nigeria’s electoral system.

    The APGA BoT member urged the National Assembly to use the opportunity of constitutional reforms to ensure that all loopholes for toying with the civic decisions of the citizens were blocked.

    He suggested that school enrolment and number of taxpayers should be applied as necessary controls to check the number of registered voters, adding that the allegation of under-aged voting in certain polling units was not entirely frivolous.

    His words: “It beats every sane imagination that certain areas with high voting population do not return commensurate tax returns and school enrolment figures. This new thinking about our electoral system should incorporate school enrollment and internal revenue generation to shadow voting numbers.

    “Also as electoral officials are punished, efforts should be made to equally punish their collaborators, the parties and candidates. All in all, citizen vigilance remains the greatest check against electoral malfeasance. Therefore, the electoral body should increase voter enlightenment and education on what constitute electoral offences.”

    Bourdex renewed his call that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should be the respondent on election petitions, pointing out that the cost of losing election petitions should also ginger INEC to ensure the credibility of elections it conducts.

    To ensure full democratization of the electoral process, Onuoha-Bourdex implored the National Assembly to make room for independent candidacy, stressing that that was a sure way to limit the extortionist propensity of some party leaders, who use the platform for trading purposes.

    “With independent candidacy, communities can elect a preferred candidate even when the political parties do not consider him or her; it would also offer opportunity to responsible people who detest the dirty side of partisan politics, to participate in politics and serve the people,” he stated

  • Abia electoral commission shifts council poll

    The Abia State Independent Electoral Commission (ABSIEC) has announced that the local government election earlier scheduled for December 17 has been shifted by four days.  The poll will now hold on December 21.

    In a statement by the chairman of the commission, Justice Igbozurike Akomas, the election was shifted, following the protest by stakeholders.

    Akomas said the commission considered the pleas by the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) that the date be shifted to enable political parties substitute their candidates. The group had also explained that the postponement would enable the parties to campaign.

    The chairman said  the commission, which is product of the constitution and as a democratic institution, yielded to the appeals after wider consultations and in exercise of the powers conferred on it by  1999 Constitution and the Abia State Local Government Amendment Law 2006.

    Akomas advised the parties to adjust their programmes accordingly, promissing to guarantee a   level playing field for participants in the election process.

    IPAC had called for the shifting of the election scheduled for December 17 by two weeks to enable the parties prepare for the exerciise.

    Its chairman, who is also the  chairman of the Progressives Peoples Alliance (PPA), Emeka Okafor, said the call became necessary to  provide a level playing ground for candidates.

    Okafor said the electoral body should shift the election by at least two weeks to enable parties involved would have had time to correct all their internal problems such as substitution of names.

    He said the groups’ call for the shifting is as a result of several complaints coming from all the political parties involved in the forthcoming elections ranging from high cost of fees to the ABSIEC, stressing that shifting the election date will help for all to prepare very well.

  • Institute inaugurates electoral committee

    The National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) has inaugurated a four-man electoral committee to supervise the electoral process that will usher in a new council in November.

    The President and Chairman of Council, Aare Ganiyu Koledoye, disclosed at the institute’s head office in Lagos. According to him, the committee is to ensure fair-play in the election.

    Koledoye said one of the resolutions of the outgoing council was a regulatory frame-work that would ensure fairness for everyone, who aspired to contest in the elections.

    “In the last four years, we have been able to achieve that. We’ve succeeded in removing hooliganism and tantrums from our electoral process. Today, the process is now more organised and transparent, with the rancours always associated with such elections in the past, gone forever,” he said.

    Koledoye debunked insinuations in some quarters that he would run for another term, saying he would not vie for a second term.

    “I decided not to run because I had seen the difficult times of the institute, and now that the institute is experiencing a new phase, I do not want to be part of the problems,” he said.

    However, the chairman of the electoral committee, Adeola Oladele, an engineer,  stated that the call for nominations for the elections, scheduled for November 18,   commenced on Tuesday, August 30, assuring that attempts would be made by the committee to sensitise members of the institute to fully participate in this very significant event on the institute’s calendar.

  • Senator denies taking part in electoral crimes

    A member of the sixth Senate, Ayo Arise, has denied involvement in electoral crimes as alleged by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in its report on alleged indicted electoral offenders in the 2007 and 2011 general elections.

    Arise, who represented Ekiti North Senatorial District between June 2007 and June 2011 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), threatened to take legal action against the commission in a bid to clear his name and defend his integrity.

    The former senator, who spoke in a telephone chat with reporters yesterday, said he has instructed his lawyers to write NHRC, demanding a retraction of the report and publication of unreserved apology.

    Failure to publish the retraction, the former lawmaker said he would file an action against the agency.

    Arise, who recently defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), wondered why the NHRC would turn in such a report without allowing him and others indicted to defend themselves.

    He said he was never indicted by the two tribunal judgments, which followed his election.

    The former Chairman of the Senate Committee on Privatisation said his election was certified by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and was never indicted of any offence by the electoral agency either at the tribunal or in its report.

    Arise said: “I have asked my attorney to write them for a retraction and apology. And if it fails to do that, I will institute a legal action against the commission because I cannot allow anybody to rubbish my reputation, which I have built over time.”

    Arise posited that he had always being a strong advocate of any process or reform that would strengthen the electoral system, cautioning that those saddled with the responsibility should not abused the privilege giving to them by rubbishing the reputations of innocent Nigerians.

    Reviewing what transpired in the 2007 election, Arise explained that his opponent had approached the court to challenge his victory and the appellate court, which was the highest for such cases, ordered a rerun election which he also won with wide margins.

  • Pitfall Kenya’s electoral body must avoid

    Sir: For some as yet rather inexplicable reasons, we somehow seem to always find a way to discredit our electoral commissions in order to provide the necessary grounds to do away with the existing team and pave the way for the appointment of entirety fresh hands, ahead of every upcoming or new round of elections. It is very sad to note, rather unfortunately, that would appear to be the case with the ongoing debate around the leadership of one of Africa’s highly respected EMBs, the Kenyan Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), at the moment.

    In so doing, however, we inexorably end up depriving the commission, nay the country at large, of the inherent benefits associated with the consolidation, refinements and continuous improvements in the electoral process that often come with having the same team conduct more than one election over the course of their constitutionally stipulated tenure. The case of the Dr.KwadwoAfari-Gyan – led Ghanaian, and Dr. Christiana Thorpe – led Sierra Leonean, Electoral Commissions,in West Africa, which conducted several elections over the course of their respective tenures (six elections for Dr.Gyan and 2 for Mrs. Thorpe), immediately comes to mind in that regard.

    It is not for nothing that several well established electoral jurisdictions the world over, consider it best practice to stagger the appointment of their electoral teams in such a way as to ensure that the tenure of at least half of the existing commissioners always overlaps with that of a new set of appointees, just so as to provide the much needed continuity that is so vital to the critical job they carry out as an EMB.

    The wholesale appointment of a new team into such an important body or, indeed, total replacement of the existing one, especially coming just around, or so close to the election period, often carries with it, the inherent risks of causing needless disruptions and avoidable problems around the conduct of the election itself; a situation we must collectively seek to prevent as Africans, as much as we all possibly can.

    Having said that, one is not, in any way, trying to play down or belittle the rights of Kenyans to raise legitimate issues or concerns around their electoral system as a whole, or, indeed, the electoral management body as presently constituted. But the solution, perhaps, better lies in isolating whatever those specific principal concerns might be, and addressing them well ahead of the upcoming elections, rather than doing away with the current IEBC team so late in the day.

    Kenya’s next general elections slated for August 2017 may indeed, seem so far away on the face of it. But, believe me, 14 months is a relatively short period when it comes to putting in place the necessary operational structures and logistical requirements for such a huge undertaking, with all the hugely daunting and often considerably overbearing social, environmental and infrastructural challenges that often come with the territory.

    This is scarcely enough time for any new commission to settle down to learn the ropes, and still be able to prepare and deliver on citizens’ massive expectations and collective aspirations for a credible, free and fair electoral process. Any move in that direction at this point will be inauspicious and amount to nothing but a bigand unnecessary gamble, at a time the IEBC needs all the support and encouragement it can get from all quarters to prepare for the huge task ahead, and must be avoided at all costs, in my view.The country’s leadership and its entire citizenry from all political persuasions will, therefore, do well to resist the temptation to attempt any risky experimentation with a new IEBC in order to avert the possible complicationsthat may accompany such an ill-advised move. AsMarylynnLongsdon rightly cautions; “if your life takes a turn for the worst, remember you are the one who is driving”.

     

    • Abdullahi Usman,

     usmanabd@gmail.com