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Tag: Inec

  • Ekiti, Osun polls must be credible, Fayemi tells Jega

    Ekiti, Osun polls must be credible, Fayemi tells Jega

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi has said the future of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega as the nation’s number one electoral officer is tied to his handling of the forthcoming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states.

    Fayemi spoke on Monday night during his monthly media chat, tagged: “Meet Your Governor”.

    He urged Jega to see the two elections as “serious tests”, which must not go the way of the Anambra State governorship poll.

    The governor urged politicians and parties to carry out their activities peacefully.

    He said should INEC bungle the Ekiti and Osun polls, “Jega may not be the one to conduct the 2015 general elections”.

    Fayemi said: “It is in the best interest of INEC to conduct a credible and transparent election in Ekiti in June. Jega should see the Ekiti poll as a serious test because, if he fails in Ekiti and Osun, he may not be the one to conduct the 2015 general elections.

    “INEC should ensure that the process is credible. It must demonstrate its readiness to conduct a credible election. You know that Ekiti people are very sensitive. We have seen terrible episodes of election management by INEC in the past in Ekiti State.

    “The people have seen the Ayoka saga, as well as the Ido/Osi saga. This time around, INEC must demonstrate its seriousness to conduct a credible election.”

    Fayemi debunked rumours “being peddled by the opposition” that he would victimise civil servants if reelected.

    He said by carry out some policies which most first term governors would not want to do, such as the biometric data of civil servants, which rid the system of ghost workers, he had shown that he was not a pretender.

    The governor said he would never victimise anyone and would continue to protect the people’s interests.

    He said the rumour originated from desperate politicians, who have no plan for the electorate.

    Fayemi said he has a name and record to protect, adding that his achievements in over three years can be measured by the electorate.

    He said: “The difference between an incumbent governor and a putative aspirant is that I have a record to defend. I can be measured in an objective and detached assessment.”

    On the delegation to the forthcoming National Conference, Fayemi said he was confident that it would represent the Ekiti people well.

    He advised that critical issues affecting the federation, such as fiscal federalism, should be addressed at the conference.

     

  • That judgment on DDC machines

    That judgment on DDC machines

    The venerable Justice Ayo Salami, former President of the Court of Appeal, was right after all. Some judgments handed down by some judges do more damage not just to the judiciary but to the national psyche. Some judgments run against the grain of national interest, public order and public good. It is in this context that the recent judgment by Honourable Justice Ibrahim Auta, Chief Judge of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/816/2010, involving Bedding Holding Limited against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), its chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, and the contractors engaged by INEC for the procurement  of DDC machines for the registration of voters to develop a voters’ register preparatory to the last national elections deserve further extrapolation. The contractors included Zinox Technologies Limited (an indigenous ICT group), Haier Electrical Appliances Corporation, and Avante International Technology Incorporated.

    The plaintiff (Bedding) had gone to court to challenge the award of contracts by INEC to the three companies on a matter it has exclusive patent. Bedding Holding has claimed for a declaration that it is the bona fide owner of the Patent Rights No. RP 16642 and Copyrights Designs No. RD13841 in and over Electronic Collapsible Transparent Ballot Boxes (ECTBB) and Patent Rights No. RP NG/2010/202 – Proof of Address Systems/Scheme (PASS) (Embedded with the Concept of the Coded Metal Plate).  Consequent upon this, the plaintiff claimed a declaration that it is entitled to 50 percent of the total contract sum of N34,517,640,000.00, which was the value of the contract entered into between INEC and the contractors for the supply of the DDC machines for voters registration. It needs to be clarified that all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff are all declarations and there was no reliefs as to orders. Yet, Justice Auta entered judgment and granted the claims of the plaintiff including the declaration for entitlement to 50 percent  of N34,517,640,000.00, to wit, N17,258,820,000.00, even though the plaintiff in the course of the proceedings never led evidence to prove this figure.

    This and many other factors make the judgment strange and curious. Two things are at play here. Either as a nation, our legal system has not grown to the point of having mastery of the sophistry, language, composition and deployment of Information Communication Technology (ICT), or there was a deliberate conspiracy to deploy techno mumbo-jumbo just to hoodwink the judge into giving a ruling that at the very best mocks both logic and the law.  The critical issue here upon which judgment was entered is ownership of patent. What constitutes a patent? And on what basis should a patent be granted to an individual or body corporate?

    A patent is an exclusive right officially granted by a government to an inventor to make or sell an invention. Therefore, patents are for inventors as reward for their invention.  Patents are granted for inventions. The very fact that it is called an invention worthy of patent suggests that such invention is new, unique and has never before been achieved.  All over the world, patents are treated with utmost seriousness hence no nation under the sun has ever granted patent to a company or individual for Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines used for the purpose of collating voter register or registration of citizens through a process that requires capturing of their biometric data. Only Nigeria has done so.

    It is strange that the Nigerian Patent Office would issue patent over a process which origin is not traceable to any Nigerian. For the avoidance of doubt, the DDC machine is not a device manufactured by one company or individual, neither can the process of deploying same machine for the purpose of collating a voter register be ascribed to a single entity. The DDC machine comprises a laptop with camera, fingerprint capturing device (scanner) and printer, and you need a software to tie them up together to function as a unit. Each component of the DDC machine has multiple manufacturers, namely, you can use a HP, Zinox, Acer, or Dell laptop. Same applies for other components, the scanners and printers. They are only proprietary to the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) who own the trademark, but not the patent. Neither can any Nigerian lay claim to owning the patent for the process of deploying DDC machines.

    It is plausible to assume that the Patent and Designs Act envisaged the limited understanding of technological and patent matters by judges as they are not experts in technical matters. Thus, the Act had embedded in it several safety valves to guide the judge and guarantee the deepening of the judicial process. Section 26(2) of that Act, enjoins a court hearing proceedings relating to patents and designs  to sit with and be advised by two assessors having expert knowledge of matters of a technological or economic nature. Perhaps, if the Honourable Justice Auta had availed himself of this provision, the judgment would have profited from such opinion.

    In my opinion, this judgment has exposed the Patent Office as a public agency that has failed to draw a line between its duties and the overriding need for public interest and order. If granting patent to an individual or group for a process or ‘invention’ would jeopardise public interest, the Patent Office ought to have shown caution. The matter is made worse and pathetic by the mere fact that in the instant case, what has been patented is no invention either by an individual or a group.

    This judgment obviously has foreboding implications for future national transactions and exercises that promote public good and public order. It means that all those agencies or private bodies and persons the nature of whose  functions require  production of ID cards or generation of an identity document consisting of the individual’s bio-data (name, address, occupation, photograph etc) are affected by this judgment. They would be infringing on the plaintiff’s patent right, going by this judgment. Consequently, INEC  (in future voters registration), Immigration (International Passport), National ID Card Scheme, FRSC for driver’s licence, the police, the military,  embassies,  telecoms firms (SIM Card registration), private firms, must obtain the licence of the plaintiff before  undertaking such exercise.

    It is my considered view that this is against public order and interest. It is unthinkable that a nation cannot conduct the registration of its voters and/or generate ID cards for its citizens without paying royalty to one citizen. It has never happened anywhere in the world, not even in the United States, the real custodian of ICT knowhow. This portends danger for future elections especially the 2015 elections. For the sake of our democracy, the federal government should advert its mind to the goings on in the Patent Office and nullify all frivolous and utterly vexatious patents standing in the way of public order and national interest.

     

    •Abubakar, ICT consultant, lives in Kano

     

     

     

     

  • National Assembly to support INEC for credible poll

    National Assembly to support INEC for credible poll

    The lawmaker representing Edo North, Senator Obende Domingo, has said to ensure free, fair and credible elections next year, the National Assembly will assist the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) with legislation.

    He said the Senate would ensure next year’s poll was better than the previous ones.

    The legislator was fielding questions from reporters in Benin yesterday.

    He said to get the support of the National Assembly, INEC must first admit its challenges to conduct free and fair elections.

    Domingo lamented that the Anambra governorship poll was an embarrassment, stressing that everything must be done to avoid a repeat.

    He said: “When you have a challenge, you must first understand it and when you understand the challenge and then discuss it, then you are having a headway to finding a solution to the problem.

    “In all the elections INEC have conducted, they will always tell you that arrangements are in place and that they are going to have a perfect poll.

    “But at the end of the day, you will always see those challenges staring them in the face.

    “For me, INEC has never admitted that it has a challenge. If they admit that they have one, then they must tell us what these challenges are.

    “Because if it is a human challenge, it is easy, do more of orientation; if it is financial, it is also simple, request more funds to tackle the election you have at hand.

    “If Anambra election went the way it went, how do we know what is going to happen in Ekiti and Osun states?

    “So, I am of the view that INEC must buckle up. I also believe that the commission needs to tell us what its problems are.

    “It is only when the problem is placed on the table that the National Assembly will discuss it and find a solution to it. We cannot do anything about it when we don’t know what its problems are.

    “The National Assembly will assist the commission to hold a free, fair and credible election.”

     

  • ‘PDP can survive without Obasanjo’

    ‘PDP can survive without Obasanjo’

    Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Chief Adebayo Dayo, in this interview with Jeremiah Oke, speaks on the crisis rocking the party, defections to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and preparations for next year’s elections.

    What is your reaction to the election timetable recently released by the INEC?

    When Professor Jega assumed office as the INEC Chairman, we are all rejoicing that the Messiah, who will salvage the commission and perform wonders, has arrived. Now that he is ready to carry out his duties, why are people complaining about ordinary timetable? If you are sure of your party, whatever timetable presented by the INEC, you have to accept it. It is the right of the INEC to tell us how the election will be conducted. Either the presidential election comes first or the governorship election comes last, I do not see anything bad in it.The most important thing is to prepare for the election. It is the people that are not prepared that are complaining about time-table. But, as for the PDP, we are ready.

    You said the PDP is ready. But there are factions in the Ogun State chapter. Is the party really ready?

    There are no factions. Chief Fadairo completed his tenure when we had the last congress, even though there were disputes after the congress. Dayo Soremi took over from Chief Fadairo. Later, Dipo Odujirin was talking about the non-existence of the executive in Ogun State. Odujinrin did not participate in the March 2011congress. Meanwhile, there was no reason for him to participate in the election because the whole 36 states of the federation had their congresses the same day the ward, local government and state levels. There is no reason why that of Ogun State should be different.It is unfortunate that people who are holding sensitive positions in the country insist on imposition, instead of the due process. Odujinrin was imposed, but we said no, we don’t want imposition. We insisted on the congress, which was held in the presence of the INEC officials, security agents, and press men.

    But, to our surprise, the National Secretary then, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, ensured that our executive was not recognised at the national level. They also went to court and the court ruled that we had a legitimate congress because there was an order from the national headquarters that Dayo Soremi-led executive should conduct the congress. It was in February, last year that I received a letter from the NEC which stated that our committee has been recognised by the NWC. That was when we started representing Ogun State at the NEC meetings and other national assignments.

    Your explanation has confirmed that there is division in the chapter. How do you intend to win election in 2015 when the house is divided?

    The PDP is one in Ogun State. Dipo Odujirin has nowhere to go, even though we heard that they had decided in Baba Obasanjo’s library to defect to the APC. But as at today, I know they are still in the PDP. Obasanjo himself said he will keep his membership card and he will stay in the PDP. Other dissenting members have come to terms with the court ruling. We are one and we work together. Few days ago, I was in Imeko-Afon to visit Chief Adejobi, one of the staunch members of Baba Obasanjo’s group.The situation is unlike when the former governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, had his own PPN as a faction of the PDP. Today, most of the people in the PPN are back in the PDP. For instance, the representative of the PPN in my own local government is now my Personal Assistant.

    Do you agree that the Ogun PDP crisis led to the sack of Oyinlola, Oni and others from the national executive?

    To certain level, it is correct. We had one national convention and six zonal congresses. The Southwest congress did not follow the rule of law and the party’s constitution. We in Ogun State went to court to challenge the validity of the zonal congress that produced Oyinlola and others as national officers. We believe Oyinlola and others were not duly elected at that congress, since the congress was faulty.

    The case of Ogun State is different from Adamawa. In Ogun, Chief Buruji Kashamu is fighting for the rule of law. He is fighting for the masses. He is fighting for the people to know their right. We have people here in the state who believed in staying in their living room and writing down names of those who are going to represent the state at the federal level. The court had pronounced the congress held in the Southwest illegal. I am close to 70 years now. Why must I be afraid to call a spade a spade? This country does not belong to a single individual. It belongs to all of us.

    Former President Obasanjo has not be participating in the activities of the party. Don’t you think it will affect the party?

    If a single individual says he does not want to go ahead any longer, would that consume a national party? The PDP still remains the only national party in Nigeria.

    So, what you are saying is that the PDP can win election without Obasanjo…

    With or without anybody, the PDP will win elections. When Chief Obasanjo won the Presidency, he did not win his polling booth, he did not win his ward, he did not win his local government and he did not win his state. Yet, he became the President because God wanted him there. For Jonathan to contest and win election, it is up to God and not that an individual will be telling us that it is over. If anybody loses his life today, people will continue to live. Despite the fact that we are having three solid groups in the Ogun PDP, we are still going to win election.

    Northerners are clamouring for power shift and Obasanjo is backing them. In view of the North’s voting strength, do you think it will be possible for Dr. Jonathan to secure second term?

    Where have you ever heard an African President losing election? Not that they usually rig, but the power of incumbency is very strong in Africa. People love Jonathan and they will vote for him in 2015 because of his performance.

    Are you saying both at the national, regional and state levels, Obasanjo is not a factor…

    What I am telling you is that, when he contested the presidential election, he did not win his ward, polling booth, local government and the state.

    G5 governors, Atiku and many National Assembly members have defected to the APC. Don’t you think it is a threat to your party?

    Well, politics is a game of number. But, don’t forget that, when we lost one person to the APC, 10 members of the APC will also defect to the PDP. So, if anybody leaves, there are thousands who are ready to join the party. The governors did not believe in the party supremacy. They are indisciplined and they wanted to dictate for the party, which is not acceptable in the PDP.

    Do you think Chief Obasanjo can move to the APC because you said he is planning to defect?

    Yes, they are already negotiating with the APC. Have you not heard that? They negotiated with Amosun and they have succeeded in working together. Is that the guarantee that Amosun will retain in Ogun State? If Obasanjo supports him, it is never a guarantee for him that he will return to government.

    Don’t you see Otunba Gbenga Daniel as a threat in Ogun State as he has instructed his men to defect to labour party ahead of 2015?

    When Daniel was in government, he has money and followers but today, all his commissioners who helped him are nowhere to be found. I am not saying he does not have money again but not like when he was in office as governor. His commissioner in my home town cannot win his ward again. Is that not the kind of people he relied on to win election in 2015? Although he has some people working with him but many have defected. I told you earlier that my PA was his leader in my home town. So, what left for him? As far as I am concerned, in Ogun state of today, labour party is not in existence.

    Atiku said the crisis in PDP has gone beyond redemption, and the new chairman Adamu Mu’azu is moving from state to state and region to region to ensure reconciliation of members. Do you have confidence in the leadership of Mua’zu that he can bring back the fortune of the party?

    Atiku has said such thing sometimes ago before he came back to the party, so I am not surprised. I believe so much in the leadership of Mu’azu. He does not need any magic to turn around the fortune of the party. Everything he needed is fully on ground and all he needs to do is to coordinate the party members and he has been doing that.

    Do you think national conference can address many challenges facing Nigeria most especially when some states have declared that they won’t send delegates to the confab?

    National confab is the only solution to Nigeria problem. People will be able to say their mind and I trust Mr. President; he must have done necessary things to ensure that the delegates are people of high moral standard. I know there is equal representation and they are going to give us the way forward. If they refused to send delegate the presidency knows how to handle that.

     

  • Ondo bye-election holds April 5

    Ondo bye-election holds April 5

    THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday fixed April 5 for the bye-election in Ilaje/Ese Odo Federal Constituency of Ondo State.

    The decision of the electoral body followed series of consultations with relevant stakeholders in the state which include political parties, security agencies and electoral officials.

    The State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Akin Orebiyi, who disclosed this in Akure, the state capital, added that the date was agreed upon after the House of Representatives had officially notified INEC of the death of Raphael Nomiye.

    The Ilaje/Ese-Odo Federal Constituency seat became vacant following the death of Hon. Raphael Nomiye popularly known as “Groovy” who died in Abuja on November 22, 2013.

     

  • INEC open to constructive criticisms – Jega

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it is open to constructive criticisms from stakeholders.

    The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, was reacting to various commentaries that have trailed the recently released 2015 general elections sequence by the commission.

    Jega spoke in Abuja at an INEC meeting with political parties tagged: “Building Consensus on Electoral Activities Towards 2015,” organized by United Nations Development Programme Democratic Governance for Development Project (UNDP-DGD II).

    The 2015 general elections time table was released one year before the Presidential election slated for February 14, 2015, as against that of the 2011 general elections which was released five months to the election.

    The INEC boss, who was represented at the meeting by the body’s National Commissioner, Mrs. Thelma Iremirem, said, “the commission is no doubt aware of the various commentaries that have trailed the unveiling of the time table for the general elections,” adding that some Nigerians even have objections to the sequence of the elections.

    Explaining the rationale behind the early release of the time table, Jega said it will allow the commission sufficient time to plan and tidy loose ends.

    “The early release of the time table will also be useful for other political actors and security agencies,” Jega said.

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  • Jega lists challenges of 2015 poll

    Jega lists challenges of 2015 poll

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has identified logistics, funding and lack of voter’s confidence as major challenges facing the electoral body as the 2015 elections approach.

    INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, spoke in Asaba yesterday at a seminar by the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSIEC), in collaboration with INEC. Its theme is: “Building confidence in the electoral system: the task before DSIEC.”

    Jegan assured that the commission would address the challenges before the poll.

    He said: “Logistics remain a major challenge in a country where basic infrastructure is still lacking. It should always be remembered that it is the same washed-off roads and treacherous waterways, the same poor water transportation facilities, the same airlines, which run late, the same difficult electricity situation, etc that are used by EMBs during election.

    “Yet, we cannot make excuses. What is required is to plan early, build the right partnerships, share our difficulties with the public to the extent possible and prepare our workers for the elections.”

    Emphasising the importance of funding, Jega said: “Planning is meaningless without adequate funding. This entails adequate fund provision and timely release of such funds.”

    He went on: “The commission received the support of the government in this regard in 2011. However, we cannot lose sight of the reality that elections only constitute a small, albeit important part of an array of things competing for funding.”

    What is important, the INEC boss said, “is that government and EMBs maintain a balanced view of funding election based on adequate resources and financial discipline,” adding: “A major cost component in Nigerian election is the personnel cost.”

    He said: “In the 2015 elections, our estimates suggest that nearly 50 per cent of the budget will go to personnel-related heads, particularly ad hoc workers.”

    Jega noted that although “elections management in Nigeria is challenging, with preparation, productive engagement with stakeholders, openness and accountability, our EMBs can build confidence in the electoral system to make election less conflict-prone.”

    Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan said lack of preparation on the part of politicians led to electoral conflicts, adding that some politicians oftentimes prepared petitions and planned for violence ahead of election proper.

     

  • Tribunal dismisses Obidigbo’s petition

    Tribunal dismisses Obidigbo’s petition

    •Strikes out major paragraphs in Nwoye’s petition The Anambra State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in Awka has dismissed a petition filed by Dr. Chike Obidigbo, claiming to be the authentic candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), in the November 16, 2013 governorship election. It described him as a stranger in the petition. Obidigbo filed a petition against Chief Willie Obiano, APGA’s candidate in the poll. He also sought to be joined in the petitions by the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Senator Chris Ngige and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Comrade Tony Nwoye. The ruling on the application was reserved for yesterday by the three-man tribunal led by Justice Ishaq Bello. In the ruling, which lasted over one hour, Justice Bello said Obidigbo could not be joined in the petition in the spirit of the Electoral Act. He said it was the tribunal’s view that the applicant was not known to be a party in the election and could not be joined in the petition. According to him, “the law does not provide for a ceremonial respondent in an election petition, as a party must be connected with the election. The applicant has a mistaken belief that he has a case. “The applicant is not found anywhere in the body of the petition. Continuing with the application will amount to dragging the tribunal into an intra-party dispute in which the tribunal has no jurisdiction.” The tribunal also ruled on the application by the counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), brought to it by Ahmed Raji (SAN), for some paragraphs in the petition filed by the PDP candidate to be struck out on the grounds that they were irrelevant to the main petition. Among the paragraphs were the alleged multiple registrations by Obiano and non-qualification due to the alleged multiple registrations. There were also the allegation against security operatives and APGA officials accused of facilitating the victory of APGA and the allegation of criminality against some unnamed persons. In the ruling read by Justice Akintola Akinniyi, the tribunal observed that while it was not proper to strike out all the paragraphs as demanded by INEC’s counsel, there were some pre- election matters, which had no reason to remain in the petition. He said: “Even if the allegation of multiple registrations was proved, it was not one of the bases for the qualification of a candidate to stand for an election. “Double or multiple registrations is a criminal offence and there is no proof that Obiano has been sued and anybody, who has a case against him on that should file a case in court, which has to issue an order against him.” The tribunal ruled that the allegation of supplying false information to INEC was not enough to disqualify a candidate, saying there must be a court order disqualifying the candidate, which was not the case in the matter at hand. The tribunal said the Electoral Act, as amended, stipulated that it was the court that could entertain such a matter and that should have been done before the election was held. Justice Akinniyi also said the failure of the petitioner to name the agents accused of working for INEC, did a fatal blow to the petition.

  • Of political thugs and elections

    Of political thugs and elections

    The great body of critical discourse on the politics of the era seems to have little good to say about those in government, the politicians and their parties. Thus, when years ago, a military ruler sought to change the face of the country’s transition chain by decreeing a five-party structure into existence, the arrangement was rubbished by a political leader of thought who called it “the five fingers of a leprous hand.”

    Who would want to be part of a terminally diseased system? So, it didn’t last. Earlier, another military creation- a two-party affair that held much promise at the beginning- collapsed because of the chicanery of the evil genius behind it. Successor governments- military and civilian- have borne the scars of the woeful failures of those which came before them.

    The reason they posted lack-lustre performance wasn’t difficult to locate: they did not have lofty ideas, revolutionary concepts of governance that marked them out as serious custodians of the mandate to rule. It is claimed that ideas rule the world. But they did not seem to believe this axiom and so they stormed the scene largely without a plan. In a word, they were unprepared for the high office they occupied.

    He, who fails to plan, plans to fail! And how abysmally our politicians might descend again as governorship polls hold in two south west states in few months while general elections come up nation-wide in 2015, if they refuse to learn from the past; if they refuse to bring up new ideas. Apart from the preparations being put in place by the electoral umpire, INEC, where else needs better tender attention, whose neglect could make nonsense of INEC’s   “fool-proof” strategies and spell doom for the poll and the soul of the nation?

    So, how are we planning in order not to fail? As I said, we must not restrict ourselves to what INEC or its state counterparts say regarding having worked out a good measure at ensuring an acceptable outing at the poll. We must put on our thinking cap to identify what can upturn the umpire’s “perfect” plans.

    A governor in one of the south west states, Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo has done just that by coming up with the position that in the past, political thuggery involving the unholy alliance between governors and warring road transport union workers, was responsible for the violence that gave elections and campaign rallies a bad name.

    His claim is that armed with an understanding of this ruinous enterprise, his predecessors engaged in a battle to unleash sorrow on the people of Oyo state. But this Oyo state performing governor is tell whoever cares to listen that including, he all the warring road transport union workers that his government was not interested in making use of them for election as was done in the past. He should know! He is governing the cradle of political thuggery, where one of his predecessors jettisoned the official security outfit and opted for a faction of the transport worker’s unions for protection. Members of this unofficial police killed and maimed during campaign rallies and elections as they “escorted” the governor across the state.

     

    It was the height of impunity. These hooligans engaged open and perceived political opponents of the then sitting governor. Since the governor of that era procured the weapons and cash for them, they could not be accountable to the law. They operated above the law and trashed any outcome of the ballot. They could raid homes and offices of those not on the side of government in power. They instilled fear in the society and therefore to fear them was the beginning of wisdom.

    Almost every week in the period that preceded Ajimobi’s advent, you had deadly clashes between the union on the side of the government and those on the opposite side. They were fatal encounters that led to casualties not only on the part of the thugs but alas, also on the part of innocent passers-by and motorists!

    Such heavy toll on the society all because of one man’s inordinate ambition to stay put in power which he was not even wielding appropriately in the interest of those he claimed put him there! Ajimobi’s prompt and decisive rejection of these hirelings is what is responsible for the sanity and peace in Oyo in the past three years of his rule. Ibadan motor parks which used to be the hub of crime, violence and training ground of the ex-governor’s dogs of war have been tamed.

    There is no governor this time around to recruit and shield them. There is no governor to pump tax payers’ money into their bottomless war chest. There is no governor to fund their insatiable taste for extravagance and lust for drugs. What you do not feed starves and dies. The present governor has refused to feed political thuggery and so the union workers who were suborned for the devil’s work have been starved to death. They have been shoved off the scene to make way for tranquillity, not only during the poll in 2015, but also for all times.

    If other key political players’ nation wide follow the foot steps of Governor Ajimobi on this score, it is certain that we shall by the Grace of God enjoy a violence-free ballot in the country in the years ahead. Then the conversation will change, with critical observers reviewing their stand that there is nothing good to say about our politicians.

    • Adegoke is a political scientist in Lagos.

     

  • Ngige: dismiss applications of INEC, Obiano, APGA

    Ngige: dismiss applications of INEC, Obiano, APGA

    The Anambra State Election Petition Tribunal, led by Justice Ishaq Bello, will, on Friday, decide whether or not to strike out paragraphs of a motion by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chief Willie Obiano and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

    Last week, INEC’s counsel Ahmed Raji urged the tribunal to strike out some paragraphs in their motion.

    Senator Chris Ngige’s lawyers Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu and Chief Emeka Ngige were given time by the tribunal to reply to the application yesterday.

    At the resumed sitting, Emeka Ngige urged the tribunal to dismiss the application by INEC.

    His grounds were; whether the paragraphs are pre-election matters and whether the issue of the voter register was also a pre-election matter.

    Also, whether the documents pleaded with the schedule of the polling stations, electoral wards and local governments could be described as vague.

    Another ground is whether the background facts by the REC as duly pleaded were pre-election matters or unrelated grounds to the petition and whether a casual reference to a polling unit in a paragraph should result in the entire paragraph being struck out.

    According to him, “we are inviting you my lords in considering the grounds of the petition and see see that none of the paragraphs attacked in the petition merits the relief to be struck out.”

    Emeka Ngige argued that election was not what happened on election day, rather a process as described by the Supreme Court in one of its judgments.

    Akeredolu, replying to Obiano’s application, described the motion as incompetent, adding that it did not indicate under what order it was brought.

    “Paragraphs 14A, B, C, D, E, F, among others, do not exist in our petition as claimed by the respondents, which they have asked to be struck out. My lords will see that what we have in the address are 14(i), (ii), (iii), (iv) and 4(A), among others, and not what they claimed.

    “The paragraphs they want struck out deal with the voter register. The case of Mimiko and Akeredolu settled the matter in this instance.”

    Michael Lanor, who replied to the APGA application, said a court could not grant a relief not sought, adding that what the respondents were seeking did not exist.

    On whether Obiano was qualified to contest the election abnitio, Lanor said it was only the tribunal that had the right to determine it and whether INEC had the power to postpone an election without any reason.

    Counsel to Obiano, Ken Mozie, said parties were bound by their pleadings, especially where they complained about the particulars of the voter register.

    Chief Adegboyega Awomolo said it was the nature and character of pleadings in a petition that would determine whether the issue of voter register was a pre-election or post-election matter.

    Today, the trbunal will rule on some of the motions raised by Dr. Chike Obidigbo and APGA against Chief Willie Obiano and APGA .

    Ruling will also be delivered on the other matter involving Tony Nwoye, INEC and others where INEC was seeking to strike out some paragraphs of the petition.

     

    Counsel to Nwoye, D.C. DeNwigwe, argued last week that the petitioner would suffer if certain paragraphs were struck out. He said the time was not appropriate for such.

    The tribunal also ruled that Chief A.O. Ajana, counsel to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), would reply to an affidavit served him by INEC and other parties in the case.

    Only two of the judges, Justice Bello and Justice Akinniyi, sat during yesterday’s sitting.

    The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ngige, was at the tribunal for the first time, while Obiano was absent.