We must speak up else we be consumed with the growing political atrocities being meted on our dear State which the INEC seem to have a supervisory role over.
In retrospect, during the 2015 Governorship Election in Kogi State, democracy came under attack following the death of Prince Abubakar Audu. INEC played politics with the election and democracy was ambused hence the emergence of the current Governor who as at the time was without a DEPUTY GOVERNOR. I listened to INEC’s rep on TV yesterday where he mentioned that the ticket is a joint ticket and such anything that is applicable to the Governor must and should be applied to the Deputy.
One would wonder if we suddenly have two INECS in Nigeria today. The same INEC that denied Hon. James Faleke to take over as ticket holder after the death of Prince Abubakar Audu claiming the election was ongoing and that Faleke can’t hold claim to the ticket, is same INEC planning to disqualify candidates today even before the commencement of an election.
Today, democracy in Kogi is yet under attack again. We must treat issues based on their merits and not on the sentiments of our tribe, religion, gender or looks.
The purported rumor of disqualification of candidates for the November 16 gubernatorial election in Kogi State because of the age of their deputies holds no ground because the law allows for correction of such if it exists.
First INEC does not have the powers to disqualify candidates and if they claim to have such powers, the ideal thing to do would have been to start with the man who holds an illegal double registration with INEC and also the one with the issue of age falsification relying on section 182, article ‘J’ of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, such should have been disqualified but because it is a quid-pro-quo affair, they will claim they are not the court with such powers.
You can’t be INEC and dwell on double standards. You plan to disqualify candidates on the grounds that their deputies are underage yet, you overlooked that of Zamfara State where the Deputy Governor is 33 years of age. The question is, why always Kogi?
For the sake of balanced reasoning, let’s keep the records clear:
According to the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, in Third Schedule, Part 1 of the Federal Executive Bodies article ‘F’,
It stated cleary the functions of INEC. INEC has not power to disqualify any candidate. Such powers is reserved with the courts.
And according the the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended starting from Part II and article ‘A’ Section 177, A person shall be qualified for election to the office of Governor of a State if
(a) He is a citizen of Nigeria by birth;
(b) He has attained the age of thirty-five years;
(c) He is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that political party; and
(d) He has been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent.
Again, the “he” factor of this section is worrisome and one of the many reasons this constitution must and should be overhauled.
Even though section 187, subsection 2 stated in passive on the qualifications of a Deputy Governor, there is also an allowed substitution window by law which the INEC must comply with. So the question is, why will INEC play the role of the court and not accepting the substitution of nominees?
Does it also mean the same election of the Zamfara State Governor and is Deputy supervised by INEC should be termed invalid?
In my personal opinion, this INEC is causing more problems for our democracy and the overbearing influence of corruption simply has wrecked our institutions.
INEC should manage a process and ensure fairness and equity. They shouldn’t be perceived as playing a double standard game and adminsitering justice at the same time.
INEC should engage in guidance and counseling role and as such allow the Kogi election be competitive. As it stands today, the majority of the populace view this INEC as doing the bidding of a sitting Governor in Kogi State.
– Austeen Otene
