Agencies unfold plans for 2019 elections

All hands are on deck to ensure credible elections in 2019. Relevant government agencies, including electoral umpire – the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) – are unfolding their plans for the next general elections. ERIC IKHILAE, who was at a National Stakeholders’ Forum on Elections, in Abuja yesterday, reports.

MORE plans were yesterday unfolded for the 2019 general elections by all the agencies involved in the conduct of national elections.

The agencies are: the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Office of the Minister of Justice & Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the Police and the National Assembly Committee on Electoral Matters.

INEC Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu, AGF Abubakar Malami (SAN), Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Ibrahim Idris and Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matters, Mrs. Aisha Dukku, represented the agencies.

They all laid out their agencies’ plans for the next general elections. It was in Abuja at a National Stakeholders Forum on Elections, organised by a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), under the aegis of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, led by Clement Nwankwo.

Their action came less than two weeks after the electoral umpire fixed February 16, 2019, as the possible date for the Presidential and National Assembly elections and March 2, 2019, for the governorship, State Assembly and the Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

At an induction retreat for Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on December 8, the INEC chair said it had become imperative to always remind the commission’s personnel of the dates and to regularly appraise their preparations.

The INEC chief said: “All participants at this retreat should be aware that from today (December 8), the 2019 general elections begin with the Presidential and National Assembly elections on February 16, 2019, exactly 434 days away.

“These will be followed by the Governorship, State Assembly and Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory on March 2, 2019.”

Speaking yesterday, Yakubu assured that INEC was putting in place all the necessary measures to ensure a successful outing.

Yakubu, who was represented by INEC’s National Commissioner Adekunle Ogunmola gave details of the commissions preparations so far and all that were being done to ensure an improved performance at the next general elections.

Some of such measures, he said, included the early release of the time-table for the next presidential election and the registration of 21 new political parties.

Yakubu spoke of plans by INEC to register more parties as long as they meet the legal requirements.

According to him, the commission has on its table about 80 applications from associations seeking registration as political parties.

He said: “We will continue to register parties as long as they comply with the legal requirements. Our hands are tied. There is no way we can stop registering parties. We will continue to register them until the time stipulated in the constitution.

“By the time the issue of independent candidate takes off, there will be more problem for INEC. The highest number we have done in governorship election is in Anambra State, with 27 parties.”

Yakubu ruled out the issues of electronic and diaspora voting, pointing out that both have no place in the constitution yet.

The IGP said since Nigerians have hailed the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) for a job well-done during the last Anambra governorship election, it was working to improve on that in 2019.

Idris, who was represented by Joshak Habila, a Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) of Police, said the input the police received from all stakeholders in the nation’s electoral process, including the CSOs, have assisted the agency a lot.

He said: “In preparing for the 2019 elections, I can assure you that with this interaction, we will come out better. The Nigeria Police will do all within its powers to ensure successful elections.

“I can assure you that our readiness is assured. But, our success depends on all the stakeholders, particularly the politicians.”

The AGF said the executive, having identified the areas requiring reform in the electoral process, was working with the legislature to put the necessary legislation in place ahead of the general polls.

Malami, who was represented by the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Legal Matters, Juliet Ibekaku-Nwangwu, restated the Federal Government’s commitment to the reform of the electoral process to enhance its credibility.

He said the government’s desire for a credible electoral process informed its establishment of the Constitution and Electoral Reform Committee (CERC), headed by former Senate President Ken Nnamani.

The AGF explained that all the recommendations of the committee have been reduced into bills, which have been forwarded to the National Assembly for passage into law.

Malami said: “This government believes that a credible electoral process provides a sustainable basis for the survival of democracy in Nigeria and will do everything possible to support the achievement of this.

“As part of its effort, the government has given every support to INEC including support to retain its independence and financial autonomy.

“In addition, the government has ensured that INEC is able to operate as an independent and credible. election umpire.”

Also speaking, Mrs. Dukku said the House of Representatives was currently working on 12 bills intended to strengthen the electoral system.

She assured that the bills would be passed into law, and hopefully, assented to by the President before the next general elections.

Giving details of the electoral process reform-related bills in the lower chamber of the National Assembly, Mrs. Dukku said the bills would have remarkable effect on the process when passed.

Some of the bills, she said, recommend increase in the maximum election expenses to be incurred by candidates; that a court or tribunal should declare the person with the second highest votes winner of an election if it finds that the winner was not qualified to contest; and to outline a procedure for the use of the smart card reader in elections.

She said some of the bills are also for the establishment of the Nigerian Electoral Offences Commission and the Electoral Offences Tribunal in Abuja, with equal status as the High Court and with exclusive jurisdiction to try electoral offences.

Mrs. Dukku also spoke of a Bill for an Act to Provide for time frame for the submission of the list of candidates, disclosure of source of funds contributed for political parties and to empower INEC to uphold party primaries where there is a change in the result and related matters.

She said: “There is also a bill for an Act to further amend the Section 33 of the principal Act by inserting a provision to enable a party choose the running mate of a nominated candidate who dies before the conclusion of a gubernatorial election to replace the deceased governorship candidate.

“As both the 1999 Constitution and the 2010 Electoral Act (as amended) regulate the conduct of elections in Nigeria, it is anticipated that the committee’s report on the aforesaid amendment bills, which is an infusion of its input and recommendations from various stakeholders, will further strengthen and deliver on such expectations.”

Mrs. Dukku said her committee was also collaborating with the ad-hoc Committee for the Review of the Constitution to ensure that consequential amendments relating to elections are addressed to give effect to the affected provisions.

In his opening remarks, Nwankwo, the Executive Director of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), described d the gathering, an annual event of the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, is intended as a platform for stakeholders in the nation’s electoral process to evaluate their preparedness for the general elections.

He noted that, like yesterday, those who came into office through the 2015 elections, could hardly believe that their tenure was months away, but have hardly performed to the satisfaction of the electorate.

Nwanko said it appeared the country was already running late in its preparation for the next electoral season because, in the next seven months, candidates for the various offices would begin to emerge.

He argued that the country could not afford to waste its precious time on frivolities and that elected leaders must learn to hit the ground running once they assume office.

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