Politics
INEC: Yakubu And Second Term Challenge
In 1998, General Abdulsalami Abubakar replaced the Sumner Dagogo-Jack led National Electoral Commission (NEC) with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and appointed retired Justice Ephrain Omorose Ibukun Akpata as chairman. Justice Akpata conducted the 1998-1999 elections that ushered in the present democratic dispensation.
The retired Supreme Court jurist was taken out of office by death on January 8, 2000 and was succeeded by Sir Abel Guobadia. After Guobadia came Prof. Maurice Iwu in June 2005 but was removed from office in April 2010.
Prof. Attahiru Jega succeeded Prof. Iwu as chairman of INEC in June 2010 and lasted till July 2015 when he retired from service and handed over the baton to Mrs Amina Zakari in acting capacity. And, of course, Mrs Zakari surrendered the office to Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on November 9, 2015.
As the end of the statutory five-year tenure in November approached, President Muhammadu Buhari forwarded the name of Prof Yakubu for re-oppointment and or confirmation for a second term in office by the senate on October 27, 2020.
There are some who argue that the re-oppointment of Prof Yakubu has nothing to do with his performance as chairman of INEC and everything to do with his success in delivering the personal electoral agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.
Those who hold this view point to the presidents’ seeming penchant for keeping cronies, longtime associates and political friends in office, irrespective of their inability to satisfy Nigerians, while relieving some others of their positions against popular approval of their performance.
To support their argument, they quickly recall the appointment of most of his cabinet ministers for a second term in office though Nigerians openly clamoured for their replacement even before they ended their first term due to a wide spread belief of their less than satisfactory performance in the discharge of their mandates.
Furthermore, they recall the dropping of the president’s first term Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu and his replacement with Timipre Sylva as Buhari’s lack of regard for expertise, competence and merit based on proven visible track record of performance.
Not least of all, this crop of citizens draw evidence in the presidents’ stiff-necked refusal to let go of the security chiefs in the country, not minding the deteriorating security situation and the hue and cry across the land for their retirement. It is on record that the senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has taken three resolutions on the same subject matter within a space of one year, yet the president has not seen the need to accede to the people’s demand.
However, the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) who went to the National Assembly to express their support for the screening and confirmation of Prof. Yakubu described his reappointment as a step in the right direction, adding that his achievements in office qualified him for a fresh mandate.
Bearing placards with inscriptions such as “All political parties in Nigeria accept Prof Yakubu’s reappointment as INEC chairman, commend Senate President and Senators for speedy screening action”, “All political parties in Nigeria say President Buhari’s reappointment of Prof Mahmood Yakubu as INEC chairman will help consolidate the ongoing reforms in INEC, especially electronic voting”, they urged the lawmakers to make haste in signing off on Prof Yakubu’s confirmation, adding that even as opposition, they were not prepared to play politics with everything.
Speaking to newsmen on behalf of the group at the NASS complex in Abuja, the National Chairman of Action Alliance, Kenneth Udeze commended Prof Yakubu for his innovation in the recently concluded Edo and Ondo governorship elections, pointing out that the electronic transmission of results from the polling units introduced by the INEC chairman was worthy of praise.
“He has done well. One thing is to have a team and another to have a good man at the head”, he said and urged the chairman to carry further the success achieved at the Edo and Ondo guber polls to the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
Earlier, the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) had raised the alarm that it had uncovered a plot by two serving ministers in President Buhari’s cabinet to terminate the emergence of Prof Yakubu as INEC chairman a second time, using the courts.
According to IPAC, “a few desperate politicians, particularly those in the cabinet of the president, have conspired yet again to desecrate the temple of justice, the institution of the judiciary, like they did in the removal of the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, to hijack the legislative powers of the Senate to screen and confirm the nominee.
“We have uncovered a deadly plot to procure a midnight court order to destabilize the electoral stability of the country and throw the electoral body into leadership vacuum and challenges. This plot is being secretly spearheaded by those who parade as loyalists of Mr President in the day time but wear a treacherous dress to undo the president and sabotage his agenda in pursuit of a desperate ambition to be president and governor”.
Speaking to the senators during his screening, Prof. Yakubu regretted his postponement of the 2019 general election, by one week. He said the postponement was a major unfortunate incident in his tenure from which he learnt a lot and expressed the hope that such a situation would not arise again.
The chief electoral umpire in the country also promised the senators that if given a second chance, he would do his best to deliver on reforming the commission to meet the needs of millions of Nigerians for transparent and credible elections in Nigeria.
Ofcourse, on Tuesday, December 1, the Senate in plenary gave its nod for a five-year second term in office for Prof Mahmood Yakubu as chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and on Wednesday, December 9, 2020, he was sworn into office at the Executive Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We have clearly demonstrated in recent elections that elections are getting better and they will continue to get better.
“The National Assembly is holding a public hearing on the amendment of the electoral legal framework. This is important and this time around, working with the National Assembly, we’ll ensure a speedy passage of the amendment bill and once it is assented to, it will help us enormously in confronting the challenges ahead.
“The preparations for 2023 general election have proceeded in earnest. We need certainty and therefore the electoral framework is fundamental, without which we cannot formulate our regulations and guidelines”, Prof. Yakubu said after taking his oath of office.
While there are good reasons to be hopeful that the electoral fortunes of the country could get better, even under the second tenure of Prof. Yakubu, it is to be noted that his first tenure was characterized by a string of inconclusive elections, allegations and counter allegations of vote buying and sundry complaints of electoral offenses as INEC remained unable to address the situation decisively.
Meanwhile, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan has pledged to pass the Electoral Act Amendment Bill in the first quarter of 2021 and also give legal backing to the use of the electronic card reader.
With this in place, Nigerians are high in expectation that Prof. Yakubu, the first to get a second tenure in the office of the chief electoral umpire, will have no excuses but to work to realize their electoral dreams and guarantee the country a stable democratic experience.
By: Opaka Dokubo
The lawmaker representing Ipokia/Idiroko Constituency in the Ogun State House of Assembly, Bisi Oyedele, says Nigerian legislature, especially at the state level, has not ceased to be an appendage of the executive because the constitution which guarantees its financial autonomy has not been strictly adhered to.
Hon. Oyedele argued that a legislature that goes cap in hand to the executive cannot perform it functions optimally.
He spoke at a symposium organised by the Forum for Governance Leadership and Value (FGLV) in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The symposium with the theme: “Enhancing The Value Of The Legislature In Nigeria’s Democratic Process”, was put together in honour of the Senator representing Ogun West Senatorial District, Senator Adeola Olamilekan, who was decorated as the legislative icon in Nigeria.
“The constitution is clear about legislative autonomy in section 121 of the constitution. It states clearly how legislature should be autonomous, independent. Until when that is done in Nigeria, the legislature will continue to become an appendage of the executive.
“I must tell you that if there’s strict adherence to the dictate of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, you will begin to see changes in the operationalities of the houses of assembly.
“That’s very important because when you are not empowered financially, when everything you want to do, you have to raise a memo to the governor, we want this; you’re more like at the service of the governor, of which the constitution doesn’t put us under the governor”, Hon. Oyedele said.
He described the legislature as the bedrock of democracy, saying lawmakers should be the ones speaking for the people.
Delivering the lecture, a university don, Prof. Moshood Omotosho, lamented that corruption and lobbying by powerful political ‘cabals’ are major obstacles to effective lawmaking in Nigeria.
The professor of International Relations at the Obafemi Awolowo University, said despite the challenges, the crucial role of the legislature in stabilizing democratic governance through law-making, oversight promoting good governance, amongst others must not be undermined.
He said, “The legislature’s ability to make effective laws can be affected by factors like political gridlock, corruption, and the influence of special interest groups, i.e., lobbying by powerful political mafia in the state, major power brokers, and political cabals.
“The relationship between the executive and legislature can be strained, leading to conflicts that hinder effective governance due to differing priorities and power struggles,” Prof. Moshood explained.
A Federal Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission, Ogun State, Morakinyo Akinleye, who represented Senator Adeola, applauded his strides in lawmaking and empowerment of his constituents.
“The legislature is the closest arm of government to the people. Hon. Solomon Adeola should be commended for his understanding of grassroots needs and his effective committee management,” Akinleye stated.
The convener, Bolaji Adeniji, disclosed that the purpose of the symposium was to have a conversation on how the legislature can add value to the society.
The Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabi’u Kwankwaso has accused the members of the party that recently defected to the All Progrssives Congress (APC) of betraying the party and the masses that brought them to power.
He spoke at his Bompai residence in Kano State, when he received supporters of Senator Abdulraham Sumaila (Kano South) who recently declined to defect with him (Kawu Sumaila) to the APC.
“Kano South is a lesson. Voters rejected spaghetti, N200 and Atamfa (wrappers) and were patient to vote for the NNPP. But those who won the election on the party’s ticket decided to abandon the masses to join those who do not have the masses at heart but are only after what they will get for themselves and their families” he stated.
“There is no worse political sin than leaving the party that gave you the opportunity and support but later you abandoned the party. This is the highest level of betrayal,” Senator Kwankwaso added.
Senator Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, appreciated the loyal members for “taking the courage to return to their base,” while predicting that all those who betrayed the Kwankwasiyya Movement would regret their political actions sooner or later.
“Fighting Kwankwasiyya is not an easy task, they will not know until when they engage in the fight,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of the supporters, Muntari Fararawa, said that they came to his home to inform him of their refusal to join the APC with their senator.
“We thought it wise to return home so as to continue to propagate the ideals of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and the NNPP as well as to contribute our quota to the development of our dear state.
“We hope that we will be accepted back and reintegrated into the Kwankwasiyya Movement and the NNPP to enable us to enjoy the same rights and privileges as other members,” he said.
Business mogul and elder statesman, Prince Arthur Eze, has hailed President Bola Tinubu for his historic visit to Anambra State and the Southeast zone, describing it as a clear message of healing and reconciliation to the Igbo.
The business magnate stated this in a letter he sent to the president, a copy of which was made available to newsmen, upon his return to Nigeria from Venezuela, where he had gone for a business endeavour.
“I have seen the joy and excitement elicited amongst our people by your visit to Anambra State.
“To this end I write to thank you specially for the visit to Anambra and by extension to the Southeast,” Prince Eze wrote.
He noted that the visit has gone a long way in healing the civil war wounds of South Easterners and assured the people that there is hope for proper reconciliation and reintegration.
“Today, it has entered the annals of Nigeria’s chequered history that you are the first President of the country, from the Southwest who has taken this historic initiative to visit the Southeast after the bitter civil war with a clear message of reconciling the Igbo with other parts of the nation.
“Nigerians have not forgotten the bitter civil war and its painful relics with its tribal cleavages and dimensions. This visit by you is therefore a giant leap forward and a clear signal that the wounds of that unfortunate era is healable.
“Your pronouncements during the visit are vivid indications that you are indeed a nationalist and a bridge builder who has risen above tribal dogmatism.
“Your actions by this singular visit has sent a message of hope of complete reintegration and reconciliation to the Igbo race.
“This is monumental and a generational landmark that we would continue to cherish and value,” he said.
Prince Eze also expressed appreciation to the president for appointing Igbo sons and daughters into key positions in his government.
“We are appreciative to the genuine concern you have always shown as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, for the cause of the Igbos. You have appointed Igbo sons and daughters to key positions as a mark of recognition for the entire Igbo people of this country.
“You also gave us important ministerial positions which no President before you had done, signaling your appreciation of the people of Southeast extraction.
“I also commend your robust appreciation of the laudable economic and infrastructural development projects accomplished by the Anambra State government under the able leadership of the amiable Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo. Soludo is a genuine and sincere personality, and every Igboman will support him. Be rest assured that he will ensure massive support for you from the Southeast in the 2027 elections”.
While describing President Tinubu as a true nationalist, Prince Eze pledged his support and those of other Igbo for the re-election of the president in 2027.
“I therefore make bold to say that Igbos, wherever they may reside in this country now have very concrete and genuine reasons to support you and work actively for your re-election in 2027 so that you can do more for the Igbos.
“Once again, I thank you immensely, my dear President, Dike Si’mba!” Prince Eze said.