Sunday, August 06, 2006

If I Were Nigeria's Electoral Commission

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is not being seen or regarded as truly "independent" or "nationalistic" by many in our country! This is a serious matter indeed.

Almost all the opposition parties plus the "fringe" factions of the ruling PDP are complaining. So is the crusading community. Watch and read the independent media, same doubts. And the donor agencies are equally worried about the level of preparedness for the arduous task of the 2007 Elections. Just recently, in far away London, the senate president wondered aloud.

Before these people and bodies, the INEC chairman had severally raised justifiable alarm on the commission's plight. One would have thought finding wholesome solutions by all stakeholders should be paramount right now. INEC needs friends, not more enemies and fifth columnists. It should be tooling and toiling so very hard, and reaching out to all and sundry. There's so much to do....right and rightly. So much!

Alas, what do we have? Instead of concentrating on its job, INEC has been busy tackling all its critics, and abusing Nigeria's sitting vice president! Haba! We must wonder, and we must worry.

The National Assembly must make a parliamentary intervention immediately....especially now that there are raging speculations of some hidden agenda towards a so-called "Interim National Government" (INC), post-May 2007. This devilish orgre must be crushed forthwith. Promptly. Remember the "Third Term" monster? This was how it all started! This time, let's take no chances o!

Prudently, and rightly so, most players - including the PDP and the Presidency - have, so far, distanced themselves from the dastardly idea. Even Dr Ezeife, former governor and Harvard-trained economist, who had unwisely "addressed" a pro-INC press conference on the subject, has also "backed down", by means of a "clarification" statement! Belatedly, but certainly!!

If I were the INEC people, I would retract the "attack" on Mr Vice President, and apologise to the nation. Professor Maurice Iwu, as chairman, should lead an INEC peace mission to media houses, convene a political peace summit and employ these powerful allies to promptly pressure parliament for positive action.....to secure a legitimate, free and fair 2007 General Elections.

History beckons.

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