Given the speculations making the rounds, it is instructive that the present INEC Board chaired by Jega be allowed to conduct the elections. The independency of INEC should not be compromised; that is the only way to guarantee a free, fair and credible elections
On Saturday, February 7, 2015, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, rose from a marathon meeting with stakeholders to announce the postponement of the general elections earlier scheduled for February 14, 2015, by six weeks to March 28, 2015. Jega gave security concerns, as expressly presented by Nigeria’s security chiefs to the commission, as reason for the postponement.
As to be expected, many Nigerians have expressed disappointment in the shift of date for the elections. The international community too; particularly, Britain and the United States of America have shown reservations. But the troubling issue in the postponement saga is the fear of a hidden agenda by the Jonathan’s administration. There are already media speculations that the Presidency is shopping for replacement for the INEC chair before the election, because Jega is allegedly seen as being too independent minded to be manipulated; therefore, he might not guarantee the president’s victory in the elections. It is further postulated that the issue of security in the NorthEast of the country is just a ruse in the first step to the hidden agenda. And the argument is quite simple, if the present administration and the military for five years could not tackle the issue of security in the region, is it in these six weeks that they will overcome Boko Haram?
While it is agreed that the issue of insecurity deserves all attentions, this Newspaper is of the view that the security situation in the 14 Local Government Areas in the NorthEast under siege by Boko Haram should not be a justifiable reason for the postponement of an election that ordinarily involves 774 Local Government Areas. That apart, INEC had repeatedly assured Nigerians that it was very ready – better prepared than it was in 2011 – to conduct the polls in February, 2015. Jega reemphasized that position even in his postponement speech. It is acknowledged though that the inconclusive distribution of the Permanent Voters Card (PVC) was a major setback in the commission’s preparedness. With this postponement, however, it is hoped that INEC would get it right in the distribution of the PVC.
Either pressurized to do it or not, the power to postpone an election is vested on INEC by the Constitution and the 2010 Electoral Law (as amended), and that power is what Jega has wielded. But given the speculations making the rounds, it is instructive that the present INEC Board chaired by Jega be allowed to conduct the elections. The independency of INEC should not be compromised; that is the only way to guarantee free, fair and credible elections. This position needs reemphasizing because the security issue is seen by many as a gimmick and part of a script being acted out by the present administration.
More importantly, President Jonathan should ensure his name is written in gold through the conduct of credible elections. He needs as well to caution his cronies over heating up the polity. Recent statements credited to elder statesman Edwin K. Clark and Mujaheed Asari Dokubo are treacherous and treasonable. Already, the postponement of the elections has once again ridiculed Nigeria in the international community; and painfully, the Western world had predicted the disintegration of Nigeria in 2015. Hope Jonathan will not allow this evil prediction to come true under his watch!
