There are some mistakes the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has made at the presidential and National Assembly elections, which must not be repeated at the governorship and House of Assembly polls on April 11. Group Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU examines the pitfalls and implications for the electoral process.
Mixed feelings have continued to trail the conduct of the presidential and National Assembly elections. There was a huge turnout across the six geo-political zones. In Lagos, many prospective voters defiled the heavy downpour to perform their civic responsibility. There was no violence in almost all the 36 states. But, many Nigerians have blamed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for negligence, dereliction of duty and lack of foresight.
The elections were inconclusive in many states. In Lagos State, elections could not be concluded in 90 polling units. The affected areas were Etiosa, Kosofe and Alimoso. Yesterday people were still voting in 37 units in Yobe, eight in Borno, 37 in Jigawa, 13 in Kano and 116 in Taraba.
In many polling booths, card readers, which were introduced for the first time, failed. Even, President Goodluck Jonathan had to wait for some time before his Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs) could be authenticated. After casting his vote in Otuoke, Bayelsa State, the President, who was seeking re-election in the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), advised voters to exercise patience, saying that the use of card readers is a novelty. In Daura, the All Progressives Congress (APC) standard bearer, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, applauded the electoral agency in Katsina State. He said: “I like the integrity of the system. If people are allowed to vote, there will be no rigging.”
Many voters had to wash their times many times before the card reader could ascertain their eligibility. In many polling units, the process could not kick off on time. Polling officials were late. In some, they did not turn up at all. In Rivers State, there was confusion. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supporters said that they were ready to vote. But, All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters objected to the process. The governor, Rotimi Amaechi, protested the lack of result sheets. Despite this anomaly, the exercise went on till midnight.
In Lagos, the turnout was impressive. But, voting was extended till yesterday. There was a floodgate of complaints about the conduct of the election. Many Lagosians berated the commission for laxity, adding that the mistakes of the past were repeated. “The process was messed up here. INEC failed,” said a voter in Apapa/Iganmu area of Lagos, who added: “We have been here, but the process started late.” Another voter said:”All efforts to ensure the success of the process were resisted by the coordinator called Alhaja. It is surprising.”
In Isheri/Omole/Magodo area, accreditation was still on at 7.30 pm. At Ikotun, Lagos West, a voter criticised INEC for recruiting officials who have given them a bad name. “So far, so good, the only thing s that INEC officials came late,” said a voter. Irked by the shoddy preparation, a voter at Omole Estate, Phase 11, Ojodu, Dr Jide Oluwajuyitan, said that the commission has failed the test of integrity. Around 5.30 pm, he complained that voting was yet to commence in the area. He also complained that car readers failed. But, after the manual accreditation, the polling officials disappeared. For hours, the officials, led by a lady, refused to show up with ballot papers and other materials. However, voters did not return home.
At Ijora-Oloye, also in Apapa/Iganmu Council, voters complained about the late resumption of officials for duty. Accreditation had not started around 11 am. Bayo Adesanya, a former Supervisory Councillor, said: “INEC officials came late. Instead of resuming by 8.am, they came around 9.30 am. House of Assembly member, Ladi Balogun, said the situation was not critical, adding that, despite the hiccups, the process can still be salvaged. On Lagos Island, another lawmaker, Gbolahan Yishawu, appealed to the people to bear with the commission and come out for the election, which could not be concluded on Saturday.
Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Jimi Agbaje, who voted at Apapa, said there was room for improvement. “My polling booth has been good. The election has been peaceful. The card reader is working well. But, this is not the kind of report we are getting from other places,” he said.
But, on the eve of the poll, there were isolated cases of violence perpetrated by suspected PDP thugs. Transport Commissioner Comrade Kayode Opeifa alleged that his residence was attacked by thugs who also attacked the local government secretariat. “It was like a Boko Haram attack. It was very heavy. My house was attacked by PDP sponsored assailants with guns and machetes. The thugs were about 12. Several gun shots were fired for about 10 minutes. Later, they attacked the Agege Local Government Secretariat. One person lost his life,” he said.
In Ekiti, voters were orderly in many local governments. But, Ikere, the home town of the deputy governor, Dr. Olusola Eleka, was an exception. A person was shot by the police. Senator Tony Adeniyi, who was seeking re-election, blamed the deputy governor, who he accused of roving round the town, contrary to electoral rules. “The deputy governor decided on his own to be moving round, despite the ban on movement, with military men, authentic and fake. They impeded him and asked him to turn back to his polling unit at Iro. One of my boys, Jide, was shot,” said Adeniyi, a lawyer.
In Imo State, voting was also inconclusive, although results were also being collated in may collation centres. The exercise was generally peaceful. But, Governor Rochas Okorocha, complained about the indiscriminate arrest of prospective voters by the police. He said the arrest of many students who travelled from home to vote where they had registered was in bad faith. He said the students were APC supporters. “I don’t know the kind of system we are operating”, he fumed.
But, the greatest hiccups occurred in Rivers. People stormed the INEC office to protest what they described as injustice. Many people have boycotted the exercise, saying that polling officers could not produce result sheets. “If we can’t see the result sheets and we vote, they will not record the actual figures,” said a protester. “There is a grand plan to rig the election in Rivers’, he added.
Reviewing the exercise in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), INEC Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega expressed satisfaction with the polls. He said they were peaceful, transparent and credible. He acknowledged the complaints against the failure of card readers in many units. But, he clarified that the card readers were also effective in many units.
The INEC boss also said that late arrival of officials and materials could be due to some factors beyond the agency’s control . “Many people who have been trained may not turn up for duty, either due to illness, new engagements or fear,” he added.
Jega urged Nigerians to be weary of the announcement of unauthenticated results, saying that it could be misleading and confusing. “I advise that we should wait for the announcement of results by the INEC’s Returning officers”, he said.
