By Donatus Ihejirika
In compliance with extant laws to publish notice of election into the office of a State Governor not later than 360 days before the election and not earlier than 150 days before the expiration of the first tenure of a sitting Governor , the Independent National Electoral Commission fixed Saturday, November 11, 2023 for the conduct of Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States off-cycle gubernatorial election.
According to the Commission, the first term in office of the incumbent Governor of Imo State, Distinguished Senator Hope Uzodimma will come to an end on January 14, 2024, that of Yahaya Bello of Kogi State is January 26, 2024 while that of Douye Diri of Bayelsa State is February 13, 2024. Both Governors Hope Uzodimma of Imo State and Douye Diri of Bayelsa State are seeking re- election for a second term in office while Yahaya Bello of Kogi State is completing his second term in office.
Interestingly, INEC had lifted embargo on political campaigns and published the list of candidates for the election. The candidates won the gubernatorial tickets of their political parties through direct or indirect primary elections or concensus method.
As November 11, 2023 draws near, Nigerians expect INEC and the critical stakeholders in the electoral process to commence early preparations for the election in the following areas. They include provision of enough functional machines , disarming of political thugs, illegal possession of arms and ammunition, recruitment and training of adhoc staff and enlightenment to inculcate norms, values and God- consciousness in the political class and voters.
Nigerians and the international community expect INEC to adopt the electronic transmission of the gubernatorial election results to its portal as it did in Edo, Ondo and Anambra States in 2020 and 2022. Aside ensuring that the BVAS machines are in good condition, the commission is also expected to make adequate preparations for timely procurement and distribution of sensitive and non sensitive materials. The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioners in the three states are expected to be non partisan but rather ensure the conduct of free , fair and credible gubernatorial election.
It is the expectation of Nigerans that the security agencies make adequate preparations to protect the lives and property of the voters, the candidates, electoral officers and election materials from criminal elements before, during and after the election. They should resist the temptation of being used to intimidate candidates, their supporters, agents or the voters at the polling units or facilitate the snatching of result sheets and ballot boxes.They should instead regulate political thuggery, snatching and hijacking of result sheets, snatching of ballot papers and boxes, vote buying and selling or allowing people from neighbouring states to vote during the election. The security agencies should be neutral, impartial and professional in the discharge of election duties.
As the only platform for contesting elections in Nigeria in the absence of independent candidacy law, political parties should be prepared to educate their members and supporters on the need to shun electoral violence and obey rules and regulations guiding the conduct of gubernatorial elections.
The electronic and print media organizations should be equipped and adequately funded to play their watchdogs role of public enlightenment and grassroot mobilisation for political participation. While the government demonstrates commitment to upholding press freedom, media organizations in the three States should allocate airtime and space to the candidates and accept their adverts and gingles in line with the provisions of the 2022 Electoral Act.
Media organizations and their employees should be apolitical and adhere strictly to the code of ethics stipulated by the Nigerian Press Council and the National Broadcasting Commission. They should not announce results not declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission. Similarly, the Transparency International, Foreign and Domestic Election Monitors and Observers , Human Rights Groups and Civil Society Organizations should equally start early preparations to ensure the success of the election in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi States.
Although there have been series of endorsements and adoptions of the various candidates by prominent individuals and groups ahead of the election, the candidates should abide by the rules of the game. The candidates should not see the election as a battle but rather a contest to serve the people of the three states and thus contribute to the growth and development of democracy in Nigeria. It is an offence for any candidate to move in convoys of cars with or without party symbols from one polling unit to another on election day.
Most importantly, Nigerians expect the Peace Accord initiated by the National Peace Committee and INEC to be adopted in the three states whereby all the candidates sign an agreement to accept the results of the election in good faith. On their own part, the voters should realize the power of their Permanent Voter Cards and resist undue financial or material inducements and vote according to their conscience. It is an offence punishable by law for any voter to sell his or her voter card or engage in any form of electoral malpractice for whatever reason.
To guard against election rigging, the polling agents of all the political parties should ensure thorough examination, certification and authentication of result sheets and other election material before the commencement of voting and countersigning the result sheets before transmission of results to INEC portal. Election rigging erodes public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system, undermines democratic ethos and subverts the collective will of the citizens.
Finally, while the Judiciary ensures early constitution of Election Petition Tribunals to adjudicate on election petitions and deliver unbiased judgements or rulings, it should look into the present situation whereby candidates declared winner by the electoral body were sworn-in despite pending petitions against some of them at the tribunals.
