Vanguard

13 May 2011

Poll tribunals: The world is watching

The 2011 general elections have come and gone, and judging from the comments of local and international observers including Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka the processes, especially the National Assembly and the presidential polls, were in many respects free, fair and credible.

This, however, does not obviate the possibility of some challenges or lapses here and there which the appropriate tribunals should meticulously sort out without fear or favour.

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But certainly, for obvious reason, proceedings in the more controversial states like Benue, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi and Kaduna are more likely to attract public attention than others.

In Akwa Ibom State, particularly, the Returning Officer Mrs. Comfort Ekpo was courageous enough to disclose while announcing the result, that collation officers who monitored the poll did complain of electoral “malpractices” in different LGAs.

“Without mentioning different Local Government Areas that had such challenges, I want us to know that we have come a long way though we had some forms of malpractices along the line,” she said. Mrs. Ekpo’s open admission that the exercise was marred by malpractices is unique, being the only one of its kind by anyone else in her capacity. What is more, it is in tandem with press reports which pointed at many polling points, wards and particularly collation centres as scenes of some of the offenses.

In fact, the situation was reportedly bloody in Ibesikpo/Asutan, Ibiono Ibom and few other places. Reports cited Oron, Ikono, Ikot Inyan, Itu and Nsit Atai as examples of places that recorded ugly scenes. In Oron, the combined team of security men who took away ballot boxes were said to have acted on a distress call from INEC’s ad hoc staff who alleged that their lives were threatened by local youths.

It is not clear however whether the electoral law justifies such interventions and if it does, whether accredited party agents did accompany the affected ballot boxes to their final destinations where they were opened and the votes counted.

This is a critical issue because even though we applaud this as Nigeria’s “finest hour”, it goes without saying that this has also been the costliest in our election history not only in terms of Naira and Kobo, but also blood and sweat.

Therefore, if we really cherish the modest achievements and selfless sacrifices of Jega’s INEC and our gallant Youth Corps members, the judiciary must be upright and forthright in the process of resolving all the complaints arising from the process.