INEC And 2019 Elections

Speaking Yesterday on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the 2019 Elections on Quest TV.

Despite all the assurances by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the systemic and structural failure of the Nigerian State will still manifest their ugly heads unless something dramatic happens. I don’t know if INEC has enough vehicles to transport voting materials to polling stations on time. Do they have enough boats to transport voting materials to polling stations in the riverine areas?

In a situation where party agents provide vehicles to convey voting materials and officials to polling stations, we do not have an independent electoral commission.

There are already challenges of collecting Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVC). The commission had to postpone the closing date to Monday 11th. There were complaints of people who had gone to collect their PVCs up to seven times without getting them. The large crowds I saw in several collecting centers are indicative of systemic failure.

How are we sure that the card readers will work? President Goodluck Jonathan found it difficult to vote in his polling unit in 2015. What is the assurance that things will be different this year?

The Middle Belt and the Eastern states will determine the outcome of the elections.

The comments by Governor El Rufai of Kaduna state about foreign agents who want to interfere with the elections is rather unfortunate. El Rufai has an overdose of political ‘ogogoro’; when you compare his comments about Buhari before he joined APC and now, you will discover that he talks without reasoning. A nation that cannot defeat a semi-illiterate ragtag rebel group is talking of body bags. Your Vice President fell from the sky in a chartered chopper. The fighter jets your army ordered will not arrive until 2020. The army is using obsolete equipment. El Rufai should shut his mouth and not create international anger against Nigeria. The level of violence prior to the elections is frightening. It is a sign of philosophical underdevelopment in the polity. Election violence is more prevalent in underdeveloped countries.

That APC will not have candidates in Rivers state and Zamfara State is as a result of the desperation of some fellows to impose candidates on the party.

We must pray for Nigeria; the 2019 elections will either make or mar Nigeria.

Is the removal of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) as a result of political permutations? I don’t know.

Questions we must answer include the following.

1. Is a domiciliary account in Nigeria a foreign account even though it has foreign currencies?
2. Do the amounts found in those accounts commensurate with the CJN’s income and allowances?
3. Is forgetfulness an excuse in the law? Would the CJN accept that as an excuse in his court?
4. The CJN is innocent until proven otherwise in a competent court of law. Is the executive arm of government following the established procedure for his removal from office?
5. Did the Executive follow the right process in appointing the acting Chief Judge and swearing him in?
6. Was the acting Chief Judge among those who handled the case of a justice in Abia State who was in a similar situation? If so, what is the verdict in this case?

The issues are very complex and frightening. God must help Nigeria now!

The politics in Nigeria is as a result of personal interests being presented as public interests. Our seasonal politicians have found politics as the easiest way to get rich through dirty money. They are ‘ogbanje’ politicians. After the elections, you won’t see or hear about many of them again until another election year.