From Jonas Ike, Abuja
The House of Representatives on Wednesday deplored the inconclusive nature of gubernatorial elections in 6 states of the federation by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC noting that the electoral umpire erred by declaring the elections as such.
This followed the adoption of a motion of urgent national importance titled: “The Malady of Inconclusive Elections in Nigeria” sponsored by Hon. Sunday Karimi (Kogi, PDP) on the matter on the floor of the House.
Karimi while debating the motion noted that since November 21st 2015 gubernatorial election in Kogi State, inconclusive elections has become a demon haunting the Nigerian Electoral System eroding the confidence of the electorate in the electoral system and has become atoll for subverting the will of the people.
The lawmaker further noted that prior to the 2015 general election in Kogi State,there were very few isolated cases of inconclusive elections and re-run in Nigeria due to over voting in some polling units and wards and due to non- voting in some wards.
He recalled that this was the case in Ekiti State in 2009, Anambra State in 2010 and Imo State in 2011. The politician therefore warns that the escalating trend of inconclusive elections has cast a shadow on the neutrality of INEC as an umpire in the Nigerian election process.
The lawmaker who noted that Section 153 of the Electoral Act gives the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC powers to make Regulations, Guidelines and Manuals for the conduct of elections in Nigeria which led to the issuance of the 2015 and 2019 Election Guidelines by the electoral commission.
He further noted that the Guideline which was reproduced in 2019 is the basis for which the Commission whimsically declares election inconclusive.
He also hinted that in the March 9 Guideline General Election Guideline, out of 29 Gubernatorial Elections, 5 of them were declared inconclusive. He added that in Sokoto, Benue, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and Adamawa States elections were declared inconclusive despite leading candidates having met the provisions of section 179 (2) of the Constitution thereby causing apprehension, insecurity and eroding the confidence of the electorates in the Commission.
He thereafter called on INEC to ensure that it does not subvert the will of the people by resorting to the provisions of the Guidelines but to adhere to the Constitution and allow aggrieved parties to proceed to the relevant elections tribunal in order to ensure that peace and security and to promote the credibility of the electoral process.
Other lawmakers including the House Leader Hon. Demi Gbajabiamila also spoke in support of the motion noting that the issue of inconclusive elections goes to the very heart of democracy.
While Gbajabiamila called for an amendment to the electoral laws to address this issue, Hon. Tahir Monguno (Borno, APC) said that INEC must come out with procedures for the conduct of elections in Nigeria.
Other lawmakers who condemned the inconclusive nature or the gubernatorial elections in many states of the federation notably Hon. Oker Jev, (Benue, PDP), Hon Bashir Baballe (Kano, APC), Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas (APC, Adamawa) and Hon. Oghene Egoh (PDP, Lagos) called on House to ensure that the electoral process is devoid of manipulation by any individual no matter his status in the society.
Consequently the House presided by the Speaker Hon.Yakubu Dogara thereafter resolved to set up an Ad-hoc Committee to interface with INEC with a view to finding a workable solution to inconclusive elections in Nigeria.
Dogara added humour to lawmakers’s position when he said that he was almost tempted to also declare the debate inconclusive as the appellation has gained momentum in the polity in recent times.