Ondo Guber: Avoid controversial waiver to candidates, INEC warns parties
By Tunde Opalana
As political parties in Ondo State prepare to conduct their governorship primaries, they have been warned to avoid unnecessary application of waiver in selecting their candidates to avoid pist- primary litigation.
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu handed the warning on Tuesday in Abuja during the quarterly stakeholders consultative meeting with leaders of political parties at the headquarters of the Commission.
Concerned about the veracity of litigations resulting from infractions by parties during conduct of primaries, he lamented that such litigations have huge cost implication on the Commission.
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Prof. Yakubu said “political parties should avoid acrimonious primaries. Increasingly, the conduct of parallel primaries and the emergence of multiple candidates is a frequent occurrence.
“So too is the tendency to grant waivers to candidates who were a few days earlier card-carrying members of other political parties and nominating such persons to the Commission as their candidates for election.
“Some of these infractions lead to unnecessary litigations among party members in which the Commission is always joined as a party. The legal fees and cost of producing Certified True Copies (CTCs) of documents can be used more productively in other electoral activities by both the political parties and the Commission. We must find a solution to this situation.”
The chairman urged the 16 out of 19 political parties that have indicated interest in participating in the Ondo State governorship election to adhere strictly to your proposed dates and modes of primaries.
He said frequent changes as witnessed recently during the Edo primaries are not only disruptive but costly.
“The Commission cannot mobilise, demobilize and remobilise our officials for the monitoring of party primaries at the convenience of political parties. Parties should stick to their proposed dates and modes of primaries for certainty and optimal deployment of resources,” he said.
The chairman disclosed that INEC will soon fix new date for the conduct of the inconclusive bye- elections in Enugu and Kano states.
“As you are aware, elections were disrupted by thugs in Enugu South 1 State Constituency of Enugu State and Kunchi/Tsanyawa State Constituency of Kano State. We are engaging with stakeholders, including the security agencies. Very soon, a new date will be announced for the re-run elections in the two State constituencies,” he said.
Responding, chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Dantalle
who is also the Chairman of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Yusuf Dantalle, said as parties prepare for the forthcoming governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states, and subsequent polls, IPAC will partner with INEC and stakeholders in the electoral process to further consolidate democracy and restore Nigeria dignity and prosperity as the great arsenal of democracy in Africa.
He said IPAC will ensure enforcement of the current code of conduct for political parties which will be reviewed to accommodate recent developments not captured in the code of conduct.
“When leaders of political parties and political office holders live up to expectations, Nigerians will have a breath of fresh air in governance,” he said.
