18th August 2010
Professor Attahiru Jega
Chairman
Independent National Electoral Commission
Zambezi Crescent Maitama
Abuja.
INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC) CONSULTATIVE MEETING WITH POLITICAL PARTY LEADERS.
We are in receipt of a letter titled as above and dated 8th August 2010, from the International Republican Institute (IRI) an American NGO working in Nigeria.
The letter claims and we quote that INEC made a formal request to it to facilitate a consultative meeting between the Commission and national leaders of all registered political parties in Nigeria. Subsequently we got a text message from Ms Omo-Agege, Deputy Director in the Political Party Monitoring and Liaison Department of the Commission confirming the meeting, and including the national women leader as part of the delegation to the meeting to hold at Transcorp Hilton Hotel Abuja.
We are amazed by this development. We see it as a continuation of the contempt if not marginalization of political party leadership began by your predecessor since after the 2007 general elections. Since then the Commission chose to stop convening its usual interactive sessions with the parties at its headquarters; instead it started dealing directly with NGO's and with the parties through them.
Mr. Chairman we urge you to put a stop to this irregular practice. It is also our candid opinion that INEC does not need an intermediary particularly a non Nigerian one, no matter how well intentioned, to have a parley with political parties.
Mr. Chairman we formally congratulate you on your appointment and inauguration of an almost new Commission. We feel that this meeting though welcome is belated. The electoral process rests on three legs; the election management body (EMB), the politicians through the political parties, and the electorate. It's our firm view that long before now, you should have summoned a meeting at Zambezi Crescent between the Commission and the political parties for de-briefing. We note from news reports that you admonished the REC's on their swearing-in to steer clear of the Governors. This no doubt necessitated by the recent revelations by an ex-Governor on how elections are rigged.
Mr. Chairman the revelation by Donald duke was merely the tip of the ice-berg. Had you equally heard from us you would have been better equipped for the arrangements you are making to deliver on your promise to Nigerians on credible elections.
A lot has happened and its counter product to begin now to cry over spilt milk. We therefore proffer the following suggestions to assist you in your onerous task of restoring national confidence in the electoral process and mid-wife a popularly elected government.
- The immediate re-constituting of the INEC/Political Parties consultative forum. The Forum meets regularly to partner and monitor/audit electoral preparations.
- Political parties must be funded to engage on massive voter education and observe the critical voter registration exercise.
- The Commission should be more robust in its constitutional duty to monitor the operations and finances of political parties. Any political party that runs foul of extant laws particularly the Constitution must be appropriately sanctions to serve as a deterrent.
- The commission must come up with a timetable for the elections. The excuse that it is waiting for the enactment of amendments to the Electoral Act 2006 and the Constitution is not good enough. We are aware that the Constitutional amendments are being tested in the courts of law, and this may likely terminate at the Supreme Court. There are also many questionable clauses in the amendments to the Electoral Act 2006. We intend to challenge them as soon as the President appends his signature to the Bill or he is overruled by the required vote in the National Assembly. The Commission should be pro-active and come up with Plan A and a contingency Plan B to take care of any scenario.
Finally Mr. Chairman we wish you well, and extend a right hand of comradeship to you. Your task is Herculean and unenviable. The Commission has become the grave yard of many a good reputation which you certainly have. We pray that you do not go the way of your predecessors. The choice is yours.
Please accept the affirmation of our high regards.
Maxi Okwu
National Chair CPP, and coordinator Patriotic Alliance of Nigeria (PAN).