Elections and what they mean...

Elections have been a fixture in modern day society: a participatory event that seeks to unite the electorate and the elected - a dispensation of democracy and a vindication of people in their ability to determine who rules them...

Now that we have gotten that rather long and twisted explanation out of the way, we can now lay our down the brief for our little discussion on the recent elections held in this part of our world (Nigeria) the giant that totters, like a drunkard.

The governorship elections, held last Saturday (14th April 2007) was a day that was granted to all Nigerians within Nigeria to go and vote for their choice of governor within their respective wards (where they where registered)...
This was after the sudden announced holiday granted for Thursday & Friday without any warning.

But..

Obviously Nigeria always has "buts" in fact there are so may "buts" it would be inconsistent to say other wise...

There are so many factors to contend with such as:

1. INEC - Independent Nigeria Electoral Commission (The un-biased body created by the constitution and given the mandate to hold the 2007 elections)
2. Incumbents - a notion that grants particular advantage to the current holder of a position should he wish to be re-elected or as the case may be to pass the torch to some one of his/her choosing...
3. Ruling party (PDP) - Touted as the biggest party in Africa and the power block which has maintained a strong hold on the state of affairs of the Government.
4. Courts - who have suddenly become the new era Solomon of our times. They have ruled on cases brought before them by the aggrieved parties involve on matters such as:

• who and who doesn't have the right to contest?
  

• who has the right to disqualify and who doesn't?
• who should be persecuted and have his/her immunity stripped?

Then when all is listed we have the last group - the electorate, the average joe and jane on the streets - who are tired of excuses and half measures and who want the basic and I mean basic necessities of life (electricity, pipe borne water, good roads, transportation, facilities and utilities that make life easier)

It isn't too much to ask for but then it appears that it is always too much to give?

I'll include some snippets from our papers on the recent happenings: read and meditate on the why of it all...

S/Court: INEC Has No Power to Disqualify Any Candidate

In a landmark judgement, the Supreme Court yesterday ruled that the Inde-pendent National lectoral Commission (INEC) has no power to disqualify any candidate submitted to it by a political party, thereby setting aside an earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal on the matter. According to the Supreme Court, “INEC has no Consti-tutional power to disqualify a candidate from contesting elections without a valid order of a court.”The ruling thus set the stage for INEC to include the Vice President's name in the ballot for this Saturday's presidential election. It also throws up more puzzles regarding the fate of some candidates who were disqualified by INEC in the governorship election held last Saturday. Prominent among such victims are the ANPP governorship candidate in Anambra state, Prince Nicholas Ukac-hukwu, his Action Congress (AC) counterpart for the same state, ex-Governor Chris Ngige and the AC candidate for Delta state, Mr. Peter Okocha. Others axed by INEC on the basis of the quashed powers include Alhaji Ibrahim Bapetel (AC, Adamawa), Prince Abu-bakar Audu, ANPP, Kogi, Senator Usman Albishir, ANPP, Yobe and Senator Mukhtar Aruwa, ANPP Kaduna state, among others.Reacting to the judgment, Prof. Maurice Iwu said the commission had already made contingency plans to accommodate Atiku on the ballot papers.

Domestic Observers Reject Results of 10 States

A group of domestic observers has rejected the results of the gubernatorial elections in ten states, which were released by the Indepe-ndent National Electoral Commission (INEC), saying that the conduct of the elections was anything but free and fair. The states are Anambra, Adamawa, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Ogun, Ondo and Rivers.In a preliminary report released yesterday at a press conference in Abuja, the group cited various irregularities in the conduct including hoarding of results sheets by INEC, lack of secrecy in balloting, underage voting, non inclusion of pictures and/or names of candidates on the ballot paper, alleged partisanship of INEC officials, snatching of ballot boxes and papers, intimidation of voters and high number of deaths during the exercise.

Indicted candidates remain barred, says Obasanjo

ALL doubts about President Olusegun Obasanjo's position on the candidature of some indicted persons in the coming general elections were yesterday cleared: They stand barred. Obasanjo, who arrived in Maiduguri, Borno State capital for the presidential campaign of his party, declared that the resolve of his administration on the controversy was unwavering. Most affected by the decision is Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is the presidential candidate of the Action Congress (AC) and whose name has consistently been omitted from the list of contestants by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Obasanjo told the crowd of supporters of his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the Ramat Square, Maiduguri, that the ndictments are still hanging on their necks and shoulders. He declared that only "credible, trusted and committed" leaders would be permitted to stand for the elections. Vice President Abubakar and some other politicians have been indicted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Abubakar was further indicted by an administrative panel headed by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN). This indictment has however been declared null and void by a Lagos High Court.

Council of State inspects INEC facilities for polls

AMID growing concern on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) readiness for this month's general elections, the National Council of State yesterday inspected the equipment to be used for this exercise. The council members were conducted round the locations where the facilities are kept by INEC chairman, Prof. Maurice Iwu. were former heads of state, General Yakubu Gowon, Muhammadu Buhari, Second Republic President, Alhaji Usman Aliyu Shehu Shagari; Senate resident, Ken Nnamani, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, former Chief Justice of Nigeria, (CJN), Justice Muhammadu Lawal Uwais and some state governors. There were also the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo, (SAN), the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Ufot Ekaette and the Head of Service of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed. Conspicously absent at the tour were President Olusegun Obasanjo, his estranged deputy, Atiku Abubakar, former military leaders such as Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar as well as the governors of Lagos, Delta, Kaduna and Ondo states.Among some of the materials showed the elegation were solar lamp, jumbo marker, indelible markers, rechargeable lamps, various categories of forms EC 4 OA, B and C, voting cubicle ballot boxes, apron vests, photocopying papers as well as printing machines. Before the team went into an area designated as highly sensitive, reporters cited certain developments in the commission's website at one of the locations, which indicated that the names of some candidates were underlined as having been "indicted." Curiously, the development was only noticeable at that area.