•As over 2.7m Nigerians register online
By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday cried out that the more it strives to improve the credibility and transparency of he nation’s electoral process, the more extraneous obstacles are put in our way through litigations and conflicting court orders.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu raised the alarm in his remarks at the third quarterly consultative meeting with leaders of political parties at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Yakubu pointed out that some of the
decided pre-election cases are making the work of the Commission difficult and “we have been crying out loud for a long time”.
He observed with regrets that some pre-election litigations relating to the nomination of candidates for elections were not determined until after the elections.
In the words of the INEC Chairman, “I cannot conclude my remarks without touching on the issue of litigations, particularly the conflicting orders emanating from Courts of coordinate jurisdiction. I am aware that some of the cases are still in Court and therefore sub judice.
“I must say that some of the decided cases are making our work difficult and we have been crying out loud for a long time.
“In particular, some pre-election litigations relating to the nomination of candidates for elections were not determined until after the elections.
“Consequently, in some instances, political parties were declared winners without candidates to immediately receive the Certificates of Return on account of protracted and conflicting litigations or where Courts rather than votes determine winners of elections.
“This situation is compounded by cases on the leadership of political parties, thereby making the exercise of our regulatory responsibilities difficult.
“It appears that in a number of electoral cases in Nigeria today, the settled law is now unsettled and the time-honoured principle of Stare decisis does not seem to matter any longer.
“What is most disconcerting for us is that the more INEC strives to improve the credibility and transparency of our electoral process, the more extraneous obstacles are put in our way through litigations.
“However, the Commission appreciates the recent statement by His Lordship the Chief Justice of Nigeria as well as the strongly worded concern by the Nigerian Bar Association.
“We will work with both the Bar and the Bench to defend the electoral process in the best interest of our democracy.
‘By the same token, as Chairmen and leaders of political parties, you have a role to play. I wish to remind you that INEC is both an umpire and a regulator.
“The Commission is an umpire in dealing even-handedly with political parties collectively, but when it comes to the management of intra-party affairs, it is a regulator. We will play our role decisively”, he said.
The INEC Chairman disclosed that as at 7an of yesterday, 2,729,819 fresh voters have pre-registered online.
Similarly, Yakubu revealed that so far,
717,947 Nigerians have completed their registration at the designated centres.
He stated further that young Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 34 constituted 65% of new registrants and 72% of completed registrations so far.
Continuing, he said, “In terms of occupation, students constitute 32% of the new registrants and 42% of completed registrations and remain the largest category since the exercise began 11 weeks ago.
“The latest detailed statistics have been uploaded to the Commission’s website and social media platforms. Hard copies are also included in your folders for this meeting”’, he said.
Speaking at the meeting, the Chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Committee, IPAC, Dr. Leonard Nzenwa lamented that the conflicting Judgments from
Court of competent jurisdiction in the country on political matters have become embarrassing and theatrical. The pillar to post legal assault on one another and forum shopping by litigants and lawyers, according to Nzenwa, is not helping the nation’s political processes “neither is it conferring any level of dignity on our democratic journey”.
The IPAC Chairman added, “The intervention by the Chief Judge of the Federation, Justice Tanko Mohammed to stem this development by summoning the chief Judges of the States where these judgments were obtained for debriefing today is well received by the Council.
“Indeed, we have looked at ourselves in the mirror and done deep introspection that we as political parties can do better than we are currently doing.
“No entity or individual would make any meaningful progress when pulled on all sides by legal ambushment as currently faced by many political parties and the Commission.
“At the last count, as it relates to Anambra polls alone are over 30 cases at different courts for adjudication”, he said.
