Signs of rule of law and legitimacy in Nigeria?
(Kogi is a state just south of Abuja, partly in the Middle Belt region. Frederick Lugard [right] was the British Governor-General of Nigeria from 1914-1919. His wife is credited with inventing the name Nigeria. Lugard House was the seat of British rule in central Nigeria and is at least the symbolic seat of power in Kogi.)From Leadership (Abuja)
Kogi Re-Run Election - Who Goes to Lugard House?
"It's D-day in Kogi State. The people of the state are going to the polls again to elect a new governor. It is a battle royale between the two leading political parties in the state - the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP).
"The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja had set the tone for today's rerun for the office of governor, when it upheld the nullification of the April 14, 2007, gubernatorial contest in the state that produced Alhaji Ibrahim Idris (PDP) [left] as the winner..."Ahead of today's election, the federal government has deployed over 6, 000 policemen and women to the state. Also, over 1, 000 army personnel have been deployed to the state, while about 1,000 para-military officials from the neighbouring states, comprising Immigration, Prisons, Customs and Civil Defence Corps, are on ground in the state...
"The real combatants in today's epic battle are former governors Ibrahim Idris and Abubakar Audu [left]. They would not be meeting for the first time. Today's meeting will be the third time. In 2003, all the political forces in Kogi State lined up behind Idris to unseat Abubakar."The pill of that defeat was too bitter for Abubakar to swallow. He vied for the office again in April 2007. Again, Idris was declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which had illegally disqualified Audu from contesting. Audu headed for the courts and obtained a judgement nullifying the election of Idris...
"Today's election in Kogi State is an acid test for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The credibility of the commission is at stake.
"INEC chairman Professor Maurice Iwu recently declared that the commission would declare whoever emerges winner in today's election in Kogi State as the winner. It was the electoral body's indication that it wants to be neutral...
"The electoral body has imported their officials from 12 neighbouring states comprising Edo, Benue, Nasarawa, Niger, Enugu, Kwara, Ekiti, Ondo, and the Federal Capital Territory.
"Furthermore, over 1,000 members of the National Youth Service Corps have been drafted from the neighbouring states to assist the INEC officials...
"Meanwhile, with the high presence of security personnel, everywhere seems to be calm. Today's election may be peaceful if report from other parts of the state is anything to go by..."
See also
- All Set for Kogi Guber Poll from This Day (Lagos)
- Kogi Election, Our Greatest Challenge - INEC from This Day (Lagos)
- Two Parties Reject Ballot Papers from Daily Champion (Lagos)
Labels: elections, legitimacy, Nigeria, rule-of-law
posted by Ken Wedding @ 9:00 AM
1 Comments:
From This Day (Lagos):
Appeal Court Voids Sokoto Gov's Election
"The Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna yesterday voided the election of Governor Alhaji Magatakada Wamakko of Sokoto State and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct fresh election within 90 days.
"The same court also reversed last year's nullification of the election of Governor Saidu Usman Dakingari of Kebbi State by the Kebbi State Election Petitions Tribunal..."
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