Labour Party, LP, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to recommend the erring Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs to President Muhammadu Buhari for sanctions.
Recall that the former Resident Electoral Commissioner REC in Adamawa, Hudu Yunusa Ari, had defied the Chief Returning Officer, Mele Lamido, and unilaterally announced the All Progressives Congress, APC, Governorship Candidate, Senator Aishatu Dahiru, as the winner, when collation had not been concluded.
But, the National headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, acted swiftly by annulling Ari’s action, suspending him, writing the Presidency to get him sacked.
The Commission immediately appointed Mele Lamido to conclude the collation. Lamido consequentlt announced Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate as winner, the matter has raised debates on how to save Nigeria’s democratic process.
Speaking on the issue, the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the Labour Party, Pastor Obiora Ifoh, said for as long as the president has the responsibility of appointing Resident Electoral Commissioners, the best the INEC can do is to recommend sanctions for erring RECs.
The Labour Party spokesman said, “Since the President, based on an Act of the National Assembly, remains the appointing and confirming authority for RECs, the best INEC can do with respect to serious disciplinary action is to make recommendations.”
Meanwhile, in August 2022, a coalition of eight civil society organizations, CSOs kicked when President Buhari appointed some APC members as resident electoral commissioners and asked the Senate to reject the nominees
The civil societies called on the Senate to reject the nominees, who included four alleged members of the APC, saying the nomination violated the provisions of the 1999 constitution as amended and negated the criteria and procedure prescribed to protect the neutrality, objectivity and non-partisanship of INEC.
The CSOs in a statement by Yiaga Africa, International Press Centre, Center for Media and Society, The Albino Foundation Elect Her, Nigerian Women Trust Fund, Partners for Electoral Reform, Inclusive Friends Association and The Kukah Centre, claimed that 14 of the 19 nominees from Sokoto, Enugu, Imo and Ebonyi among others were either APC loyalists or were indicted for corruption in the past which they said breached the constitution on appointment of INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners.
The statement said, “To mention a few, Prof. Muhammad Lawal Bashir from Sokoto was a Governorship aspirant under the All Progressive Congress in the 2015 elections cycle. Mrs. Sylvia Uchenna Agu, the nominee for Enugu State, is believed to be the younger sister of the APC Deputy National Chairman, South-East.
“The nominee for Imo State, Mrs. Pauline Onyeka Ugochi, a former Head of ICT at INEC in Imo state, gained notoriety for connivance with politicians to undermine elections. Mrs. Queen Elizabeth Agwu, a former Accountant-General of the Ebonyi, was suspended allegedly on the grounds of incompetence and corruption in 2016.
“We contend that the appointment of these individuals as RECs will significantly undermine the neutrality and impartiality of the Independent National Electoral Commission, and it will increase mistrust in INEC and Nigeria’s electoral process. By the combined effect of Section 156 (1)(a) and Third Schedule;
“Part 1, Item F, paragraph 14 (1), these individuals are constitutionally prohibited from any appointment as members of INEC. It will be against the sacred spirit of the Constitution to accept their nomination. Given their antecedent and close affinity with political parties, it is improbable that they will remain neutral and objective if successfully screened as INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC),” they stated.
The statement added, “On July 26, 2022, the Nigerian Senate announced President Buhari’s appointment of 19 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) following the expiration of the tenure of the out-gone RECs in 19 states. Of the 19 nominated RECs, 14 were new appointments, while five were reappointed.
“The new nominees include Pauline Onyeka Ugochi (Imo); Muhammad Lawal Bashir (Sokoto); Prof. Ayobami Salami (Oyo); Zango Abdu (Katsina); Queen Elizabeth Agwu (Ebonyi); Agundu Tersoo (Benue), Yomere Oritsemlebi (Delta); Prof. Yahaya Ibrahim, (Kaduna); Dr. Nura Ali (Kano); Agu Uchenna Sylvia (Enugu); Ahmed Garki (FCT); Hudu Yunusa (Bauchi); Prof. Uzochukwu Chijioke, (Anambra); and Mohammed Nura (Yobe).
The reappointed nominees include Ibrahim Abdullahi (Adamawa); Obo Effanga (Cross River); Umar Ibrahim (Taraba); Agboke Olaleke (Ogun); and Prof. Samuel Egwu.(Kogi).
“Also, we call for a thorough examination and background checks of the credentials of the nominees. The Senate is urged to reject these nominees that fall short of the threshold of non-partisanship and impeccable character. Electoral commissioners must be individuals with impeccable character, unquestionable neutral inclinations, dispositions, and competence. The nominations and process of confirmation must be inclusive and representative of all segments of the society.”
