War of words over forthcoming Katsina LG elections

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government in Katsina State recently announced August 2, 2014 as date for local government elections. But the opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) seems not to be happy with this decision. To express its displeasure with the decision of the state government, the APC, through its […]

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government in Katsina State recently announced August 2, 2014 as date for local government elections. But the opposition party in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) seems not to be happy with this decision. To express its displeasure with the decision of the state government, the APC, through its state chairman, Mustapha Muhammad Inuwa, quickly wrote to the chairman of the Katsina State Independent Electoral Commission (KTSIEC), demanding that proper notice of elections be given in line with the Electoral Act, 2010 and the general guidelines for elections, 2014. The party also insisted that the voters register in the state should be updated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the purpose of this exercise. It also demanded immediate review of years of experience as qualification requirement for candidates, just as it opposed the prescribed fees contained in the election guidelines released by KTSIEC. In the memo, which was copied to the INEC, State Security Service, Commissioner of Police, Katsina State command, Speaker of the State House of Assembly and other political parties in the state, the APC threatened to go to court if the state government did not rescind its decision.
But reacting to the threat of the opposition party, a socio-political organisation known as Katsina State Vanguard for Peace and Development, said it expected all truly concerned electorate in the state to be excited at the decision of the state government to conduct local government elections. This group wondered why any political party would take up arms against a government’s sincere decision to allow the people vote for their leaders, a patriotic gesture that is obviously lacking in several states across the nation today. This group further argued that, contrary to what members of the APC think, “The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gives the responsibility for conducting elections into local council offices to the State House of Assembly, which in turn, is vested with the powers to enact state laws for creating a State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC). The SIEC is, in turn given the sole responsibility to conduct local council elections in accordance with the laws establishing it.’’
It is quite unfortunate that political parties in Katsina State are busy fighting over an issue that directly affects the people and political future of the state. I really wonder why the All Progressives Congress would always oppose every programme of the party in government, no matter how good it is. The truth of the matter is that, should the Peoples Democratic Party in Katsina State, led by Alhaji Shehu Shema, refuse to conduct local government elections as some states do, the APC would have been the first party to cry aloud. It is therefore surprising that these same people who claimed that they had arrived and ready to take over the state and the entire country do not want local government elections to hold. And they are even threatening to go to court over this very important matter. Now, I am forced to think that the APC is not prepared for the local government elections in Katsina State; hence its executive members want to use every arsenal at their disposal to stop it. Can anybody tell me why it would not be correct to say that the party is afraid of failure?
As much as I and other keen political watchers in Katsina know, the KTSIEC gave enough notification for the elections under the law. It even exceeded the number of days required by law. So how has it erred? Let me use this opportunity to advise members of this opposition to prepare for the elections and test their popularity instead of playing to the gallery and attempting to win the people’s sympathy on the pages of newspapers. That is not the best way to win elections. It is better to use your money for better things than waste it in the courts.
Mallam Murtala Dahiru wrote for Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida Way, in Katsina, Katsina State.