Thewill Editorial: Edo Governorship Election As Watershed For Credible Polls In Nigeria

Source: thewillnigeria.com

BEVERLY HILLS, October 10, (THEWILL) – The Edo State governorship election may have come and gone, with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, declaring Mr. Godwin Obaseki of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner.

As the party celebrates the victory, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which fielded Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as its candidate has refused to accept the results. It alleged that the election was rigged by the INEC, with the connivance of security agencies and the state governor, Adams Oshiomhole of the APC.

Consequently, PDP supporters have staged streets protests in Benin City, calling for a cancellation of the vote. Ize-Iyamu and the party's state Chairman, Dan Orbih, have vowed to challenge the outcome of the poll in the courts.

However, while waiting to see how the judiciary would determine the matter, it is imperative that the many issues thrown up by the election are deeply reflected upon. The election was critical in several ways. First, it was an opportunity for the INEC to prove that it could conduct a conclusive election after several inconclusive polls in other states of the federation.

It was also a test case of how neutral an incumbent governor can be in superintending over a transition in which his party showed so much desperation to win. Given the danger and tension that heralded the polls, occasioning its postponement, it was a time when the security agencies needed to prove their superior power and impartiality in the maintenance of law and order.

The election was also unique to the effect that it was held on a Wednesday, contrary to the traditional Saturday when elections are held in the country. The result was that many voters, who registered but were out of the state, could not participate in the election. With the Ondo Governorship election due in November, the good and bad lessons learnt in Edo should serve as springboard to free, fair and credible elections in the country.

According to field observers, the election's conduct ran afoul of some provisions of the Electoral Act. Reports say votes were openly bought and voters were made to show their thumb-printed ballot in exchange for cash. That obviously was a negation of the secret ballot system, which was provided for in the Act.

Those who allege rigging claim that INEC manipulated the results in several polling units and wards. According to the PDP, its scores at the units and wards were at variance with the final results announced by the electoral umpire. Also, it was alleged that the results in some local government areas were cancelled on flimsy reasons, while in similar circumstances, they were waved aside.

It was further alleged that card readers were compromised in some areas to disenfranchise voters. Unfortunately, the manual voting that was done in such incidental places as allowed by the electoral rules, were cancelled. The end point was that the numbers of cancelled votes were significantly high.

However, there was low level of violence as witnessed in previous elections, particularly in Rivers and Bayelsa states. It was a proof that given the right atmosphere, Nigeria can conduct violence-free elections.

THEWILL commends the INEC for holding a conclusive state governorship election. With the number of inconclusive elections so high, for which its efficiency had been called to question, the conclusion of polls in one lap shows that INEC has improved on its lapses. We also laud the voters for shunning violence, as well as security agents for curtailing the isolated disturbances that were reported.

However, if future elections in the country must be credible, the observed lapses in the September 28 election must be corrected, especially ahead of the 2019 general elections.

It is worrisome that the federal government, which recently set up the Ken Nnamani Election Reforms Committee, could have taken some steps, which may have suggested that it had vested interest in the outcome of the polls.

For instance, the change of commissioners of police in three quick successions, two months to the election was capable of sending wrong signals to stakeholders. It is advisable that government does not take actions that fuel insinuations that the results were pre-determined.

If the result of the vote is indeed referred to the courts as declared by the aggrieved parties, THEWILL urges the judiciary to critically peruse the issues that would be presented. Only a transparent judicial interpretation could assure the electorate that their votes will count in any election.