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>Anambra State Governorship Election: An Update on INEC Preparation
PREAMBLE
Following the intense debate in many political circles as well as the deep interest shown by Nigerians, members of the international community, the media, including the citizens of Anambra state in the Anambra state governorship election scheduled for February 6, 2010, it has become inevitable for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to give an update on the preparations for the Election. The Commission scheduled the election for February 6, 2010 following the Supreme Court verdict of June 14, 2007, the powers conferred on it by the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2006 as well as the fact that the tenure of the incumbent, Governor Peter Obi, would expire on March 17, 2010.
1. We are spurred to give an update on the Anambra state governorship election in order to assure all stakeholders that the Commission is doing everything in its power to deliver an election that would be free, fair and transparent.
2. We would also want to use this opportunity to, firmly and unambiguously, re-state the rules that would undergird the election in accordance with the 1999 Constitution, Electoral Act 2006 and electoral guidelines. Some of these have since been published in the media for the enlightenment and guidance of aspirants, the political parties and prospective voters.
3. There are 21 local government areas, 326 wards and 4,653 polling units in Anambra state. The governorship election will take place in all the local governments, wards and polling units aforementioned. In addition, 14,328 electoral officials will be required to conduct the election. Eventhough only the Commission’s staff and members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) are to conduct the election, the Commission has not decided on the states from which it is going to source them. Already procurement of materials, sensitive and non-sensitive, is on course.
VOTERS REGISTER
All persons who registered for the 2007 general elections are eligible to vote. The ongoing Continous Voter Registration will come to an end on Monday, September 28, 2009 in Anambra state according to law. It will be recalled that worried by the indifference of the citizens of Anambra state to the Continous Voters Registration exercise, the Resident Electoral Commissioner toured the nooks and crannies of the state on a sensitization drive. Again, the INEC Chairman, Professor Maurice Iwu and the National Commissioner in charge of the zone on Monday, March 16, 2009 made an appeal at Awka during the Opening Ceremony of INEC Office to the people to come out and register. It would be highly appreciated if the Commission’s efforts are complemented by the political parties, aspirants and stakeholders so that we could have a high voter turnout and subsequently an election that would reflect the true wishes of the citizens of Anambra state. Section 10(5) of the Electoral Act provides that Continous Voters Registration should stop not later than 120 days before an election. The list of all registered voters shall be displayed for claims and objections from October 26, to December 7, 2009. The Commission calls on all registered voters in Anambra state to participate in the exercise and to use it to confirm their particulars.
CAMPAIGNS
As every stakeholder is aware, the governorship election in Anambra state will, take place on February 6, 2010. By the provisions of Section 101 of the Electoral Act 2006, all campaigns, are supposed to start 90 days to the election which is November 8, 2009. Such campaigns are to end twenty four hours to the election. Section 101 sub-section 1 of the Electoral Act 2006 provides that campaigns in public by political parties should start 90 days to the polling day. The Commission is therefore dismayed that some aspirants have, in clear breach of the law, started addressing rallies and parading themselves as “candidates” on the pages of newspapers. Strictly speaking, what should take place from now to 7th November 2009 ought be intra-party canvassing and not campaigning. And no person should parade himself as a candidate until he or she is duly nominated by his political party.
CONCLUSION
We have given a graphic update of the Commission’s preparation for the Anambra state governorship election as well as the underpinning rules in order to achieve three major objectives:
(i) To assure all stakeholders in the electoral process of the Commission’s determination to deliver an election that is transparent, free and fair;
(ii) To once more underscore the rules governing the election; and to refute the allegation that the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Anambra state, was recruited to superintend over the alleged rigging of the impending governorship election.
We want to assure Nigerians that these rumours are unfounded and subsist only in the imagination of those who profusely and mischievously create them. There is no way that a Voter’s Register which is yet to be integrated could be turned over to any aspirant. The Voters Register for Anambra state is being processed according to law.
At a recent Operational Plan Retreat in Kaduna, the Commission set up an Election Monitoring and Observation Committee. This will comprise members of the Civil Society, INEC officials and Political Parties. Members of this Committee will monitor the conduct of the governorship poll in Anambra state and submit an official report.
Instead of peddling unfounded rumours with a view to blackmailing the Commission and overheating the polity, we call on all stakeholders in the election, especially the aspirants and the political parties and supporters to follow the rules religiously. They should also ask their followers to conduct themselves peacefully during the campaigns and on Election Day. We call on all stakeholders, most especially party supporters, in this crucial election, to desist from any actions that are capable of causing violence or breach of security.
Philip Umeadi Jnr.,
National Commissioner in charge
of Publicity.
By Rose Oriaran
Dated 25/09/2009
