‘‘The lessons that have been learnt from electoral malpractices over the years is that the people must be ever vigilant because ballot coup is worse than military coup…Independent National Electoral Commission should be funded from a special national fund…This will go a long way for the organization to assert its independence’’ – Quoted in Nowinta’s book, 2009: WHERE WE ARE (page 134/135)
Pebbles with Igbotako Nowinta
Who says President Muhammadu Buhari is not smart, handling the opposition parties, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)?
The President has recently displayed his smartness with the appointment and subsequent confirmation of Professor Mahmood Yakubu as Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The redeployment of Mrs. Amina Zakari from her acting capacity as INEC Chairman was a very fantastic decision also coming from President Buhari.
And the appointment of some INEC Commissioners and their confirmation by the Senate last week was also a good omen for our nascent democracy.
Now the removal of Mrs. Amina Zakari from her acting role as the first among equals at INEC headquarters has simply dislodged the Peoples Democratic Party from its entrenched position of campaign of calumny against her.
I am sounding this way because of the ruthless manner the PDP raised torrential opposition to her appointment as INEC acting boss by calling for her removal.
Now that she is no longer on the hot seat, we will now see who or what the PDP will blame if its candidates in the forth-coming Governorship Elections in Bayelsa, Kogi and rescheduled gubernatorial tussle in Akwa-Ibom etc., fail to clinch victories.
The Senate official confirmation of the remaining Ministerial nominees on the floor of the red chambers has finally put to rest the hue and cry about what has been going on in certain quarters, especially from the PDP.
The stringent opposition mounted by Senator Godswill Akpabio and his colleagues against the confirmation of ex-Governor Rotimi Amaechi to me was like asking for a pound of flesh.
I am not holding brief for Rotimi Amaechi because the man has his bags of shortcomings, given the fact that he was formerly with the PDP. But the fact remains that he was a major contributor to the emergence of President Buhari.
And Mr. President has deemed it necessary to insert him in his cabinet. I think we should give Amaechi the benefit of doubt in this era of change.
Come to think of it Godswill Akpabio and a chunk of PDP senators are some of the stinkingly rich set of politicians in our land today that made their money from the terrible pit of political patronage.
Therefore, the walk out staged by Senator Akpabio and company last week was a case of ‘kettle calling pot black.’ The implication of that scenario is that the PDP as a party is still licking the wounds which Rotimi Amaechi inflicted on it by teaming up with President Muhammadu Buhari to snatch the presidency on March 28th 2015.
With Prof. Mahmood Yakubu as INEC boss, and given his wealth of experience professionally and otherwise, I see an improvement in our electoral system.
Mahmood Yakubu has no choice than to hit the ground running. One of the things he should do quickly is to ensure that the Card Reader devise used for the last general elections are effectively made available during the up-coming elections in Nigeria.
Everything should be done to make sure that the shortcomings recorded during the last elections do not rear their ugly heads; logistical arrangement for example must be water proof.
In the long run Prof Yakubu should ensure a separate salary structure for INEC staff, which Prof. Attahiru Jega regrettably could not accomplish before he took his glorious exit.
Ultimately, Prof. Yakubu must walk round the clock by liaising with the National Assembly, the Presidency and other relevant bodies to be able to insert electronic voting into the Electoral Act.
Honestly, Prof Mahmood Yakubu will be the greatest INEC Chairman after Prof Jega, if digital voting becomes a reality in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
With electronic voting the credibility of our electoral system will hit global applause and honest, cerebral and people-oriented citizens will be available to serve the people diligently.
This is one task before Prof. Yakubu and it is achievable with the resources available in Nigeria.
Iam one hundred percent convinced that President Muhammadu Buhari will be eager to jump into the same boat with Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on this issue of electronic voting.
Nowinta wrote: Where We Are – A Call For Democratic Revolution in Nigeria
