Needless controversy over election guidelines
Last week, the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] released the regulations and guidelines for the conduct of the general elections slated for February 16 and March 2. INEC’s Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who signed the 33-page document, said this was done in exercise of the powers conferred on the commission by the Constitution of the […]
Last week, the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] released the regulations and guidelines for the conduct of the general elections slated for February 16 and March 2. INEC’s Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who signed the 33-page document, said this was done in exercise of the powers conferred on the commission by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
Highlights of the guidelines, which were unveiled at the commission’s meeting with political party leaders, included simultaneous accreditation and voting. The guideline said voting shall be in accordance with Continuous Accreditation and Voting System [CAVS] as specified in the Regulations and Guidelines, the Election Manual and any other Guide issued by the Commission. The guideline also indicated that Smart Card Readers (SCRs) and Permanent Voter Cards would be used for the forthcoming elections.
It added that each voter would cast his/her vote in person at the Polling Unit/Voting Point Settlement/Voting Point where he/she registered or was assigned, in the manner prescribed by the commission. It also said separate queues shall be created for men and women where the culture does not allow mingling of men and women. Presiding Officers, it added, would also create separate queues for People Living With Disabilities (PWDs).
Barely had the meeting ended when many political parties at the event objected to the document, saying it was a recipe for rigging. Specifically, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, national chairman of Action Peoples Party [APP] and Coalition of United Political Parties’ (CUPP) national spokesperson, said INEC should retain separate accreditation and voting as obtained in 2011 and 2015. Saying they were not consulted before the new guideline was drafted, signed and thereafter released, leaders of some of the 61 political parties who were at the meeting alleged that simultaneous accreditation and voting would give room for scanty polling units that will aid rigging by the ruling party.
Already the political parties have filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja accusing INEC of what they termed “manipulated 2019 election guidelines.” The plaintiffs in the suit included APP led by Ugochinyere; Green Party of Nigeria (GPN) led by Chief Sam Eke; Redemption Party of Nigeria (RPN) led by Nsehe Nseobong and Action Alliance [AA] led by Barr. Kenneth Udeze. Ugochinyere said Section 155 of the Electoral Act gives political parties the power to challenge INEC’s election guidelines in court. Besides, INEC also came under attack from ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Some political parties however agreed with INEC. For instance, National Chairman and Presidential candidate of Freedom and Justice Party [FJP] Dr. Abraham Breakforth said INEC was right in making provision for simultaneous accreditation/voting as the older method led to the disenfranchisement of 45 per cent of accredited voters in previous elections. He said, “Out of 66million registered voters nationwide in 2015 and the 43million accredited persons for the election, only 28million returned to vote. The question is, where were the remaining 15million accredited voters?” He said “Separate accreditation and voting makes it cumbersome. Many will be on the line for a long time to get accredited and after they leave the centre, to return and cast their vote is a problem.”
Prof. Yakubu and some INEC national commissioners have at different fora defended the new voting system, saying it is in line with international best practices. We are deeply worried that only a few weeks to the elections, vital issues that would pave the way to free and fair elections have become contentious, with different interest groups making spurious allegations. INEC had constantly engaged with political parties and all other stakeholders over the years. We believe that merging the accreditation and voting process in the new guidelines is very reasonable and should be given a chance. We urge political actors to stop making mountains out of molehills and to get down to the business of campaigns while the commission devotes it full time to preparing for the elections.