‘Option A4, Good For Nigeria’s Democracy’

A Port Harcourt-based legal practitioner, Edward Obiokor, says Nigeria’s democracy is still young in spite of eleven years of its existence.

Obiokor told newsmen in Port Harcourt that one way out of the country’s electoral problems was the re-introduction of Option A4 for future elections.

He said that 11 years of democracy had not brought much because people’s expectations had not been met.”

“It is okay but the system is still very nascent if you ask me. I want to say that a lot of expectations have not been met.

“And what is more, the ruling party will appear to be wanting their policies or their constitution to be the supreme law of the land when infact, we have a constitution in this country.’’ he said.

The legal practitioner said that in spite of the huge investments in the power sector, the masses had yet to see the impact on their daily lives and urged the President to revive the sector as he had promised on inauguration.

“We need to improve on the power sector to meet the challenges of the world information technology,’’he said.

He urged the government to adopt  the magic method used to tackle incessant fuel scarcity to change other sectors to make the people get dividends of democracy.

On the 2011 election, Obiokor suggested that Option A4 method  be used to conduct the election.

“I am optimistic because a lot of people and even the international community have made it clear to Nigeria that we need to organise a credible election.”

“If you ask me, I think Option A4 will be an appropriate  solution or method to take care of that situation.

“ I do know that when that method was adopted during the SDP/NRC era,it was okay.’’

He said that Option A4 made it easy for election results to be known from polling stations, thereby stalling any plans to rig such elections.

“Option A4 method will also assist lessen  election petition matters so that issues of election petition  still being heard at a time the elected  government has even finished its tenure, will not arise again.’’ he said