INEC, 2007 Elections: Nemo Dat Quod Non Habet

Prince Charles Dickson

Jos, Plateau Nigeria

I am not speaking in tongue, just one of those jargons our legal friends use in making themselves feel superior (smiles). The phrase above simply means ‘nobody gives what he does not have’ it is a Latin phrase that I have chosen to ascribe to the PDP Dependent National Electoral Commission. As the year 2007 approaches one of the event that would define the nation is the general elections of that year, with the wind of third term, life presidency and its attachments fading away, we cannot wish away the general elections of next year despite concerted efforts by enemies of the state to make sure that the election does not hold.

It is sad that as the opposition mounts and almost succeeds against the evil and robbery called third term, we have forgotten the elections of the coming year and the role it will play in shaping the nation. With unfolding trends it is becoming glaringly clear that asking the electoral commission to conduct a free and fair election would be an uphill task, already its sister agency the National Population has set an antecedent on how to bungle and make nonsense of a national assignment.

The issue of elections and political participation is one that has been relegated to the background, although quite a number of people will argue to the contrary, the argument of third term is as far as I am concerned a boring one because it is one that is empty and on its back we have neglected a lot. As a nation we are used to single topic attitude and while that issue boils we forget other likewise important matters… the third term will fail but the burden of a free, credible and fair election is a daunting task that to a larger extent is still part of our succession problem.

The recent bye-elections in Ekiti State was an exercise in fraud and massive acts of disenfranchisement, at a particular polling station, elections that were meant to start by 8.00am and end by 3.00pm ended by 10.00am. That particular polling booth had 500 registered voters and all the voters voted PDP and the whole 500 voted, no body was sick, no one was incapacitated by one thing or the other. Government and INEC magic, expecting fairness from crooks is like requesting an imam to drink alcohol.

This particular election like that of 2003 was one of intimidation, thuggery, wanton destruction of property and lives, while the elites as usual held the law with disdain, unfortunately when all these irregularities occur the government is blind, after their rigging and figure magic they claim that the elections are free, fair and peaceful.

How can INEC give what it does not possess, like looking for an object that was never lost? Despite the general opinion against the electronic voting, the Commission went ahead with what it called a Pilot Scheme. The body does not care about how Nigerians feel; yet they say they want to give us a free and fair election on their own terms. Whether the electoral bill is passed or not they do not care and they keep sinking millions of taxpayers’ money in experiments, which are complete failures.

The last pilot scheme was riddled with poor logistics, poor turn out. In Abuja, eight out ten citizens were unaware of the so-called Pilot Scheme, the whole thing was a charade, at the rate we are going, like is the case with the National Population Commission, we may have to wait six months to get the ‘doctored’ election results for 2007. As it stands today every step that the electoral commission takes is tailored towards the rigging of an election that is yet to hold, and this is all too visible with the almost certain failure of the third term surgery to the constitution, the President will do every and anything to make sure that his legacy of anti-corruption and pro-corruption is sustained…yes, pro-corruption as seen in the way and manner the Owu high Chief has pursued his third term madness.

In the recent debacle in Ekiti, one could see the partisan nature of the supposedly Independent electoral body, just like the 2003 election was held by PDP, for PDP, and by PDP, with PDP. What can INEC offer, in the face of elections that are likely to be rigged before they are conducted…how is INEC ready to tackle the issue of widespread fraud and figure manipulations. What will happen in cases of low voters turn out and staggering electoral victory results?

In 2003, of the 31 parties that participated 19 produced candidates for the post of President, but after the elections most of them went to sleep and bothered much, except General Buhari with Dim Ojukwu that fought the PDP and its own General Obasanjo, the election was fiat accompli in the ruling party’s favour. Despite the fact that we all know that elections did not hold at all in some States, while in places were it was held, we saw Government magic, in Rivers, Ogun to mention few, it was ballot stuffing, intentional miscounting, underage voting, violence and intimidation and political killings.

During its non-elective nomination the PDP contravened its own constitution and an Abuja High Court Order and as such in its usual style laid a precedent for its son INEC to follow come 2007. Since his appointment the present Chemistry don in charge of the electoral body has courted more controversy than telling us what will make him different from his predecessor, he has refused to tell us how he will look Obasanjo in the eye and say “Your Excellency this is not possible” instead we have continued to see he hand of Esau the voice of Jacob. The other time the man was battling to explain the difference between electoral observers and monitors.

The opposition too has not done well in its all out battle to change the present government and bring the much desired freedom for the people. If care is not taken the truth is that upon the full realization that there can be no extension the PDP will do everything to make sure that a puppet is installed come 2007, although they too know the dangers of that all too well, puppets like Chris Ngige and dummies like Ladoja have shown that godfathers can be disobeyed…so the opposition, be it ACD, ABC and XYZ, we should also seriously start immediately to proffer solutions to the agency that is supposed to give us a credible election.

The general elections are barely a year away but the truth is that as of today there is nothing to suggest that we are ready…we as a nation may be ready to vote out the crazy baldheads, but is the electoral commission ready to facilitate the people’s wish, with poverty ravishing the land, are we ready to look away from the politics of salt and rice and do the right thing.

In the drama of recall in Plateau State, we all saw the double speak and act of the electoral body as it was one law for the poor another for the rich.

The third, fourth, and all manners of terms have failed, so what next, will we witness a free and fair transition of power from civilian to civilian, cut across party lines, or is it going to again be our Achilles knee. Is it possible that you can look for something you did not loose, can someone give what he does not have, its fearful for a government that has been the worse culprit of its own corruption battle now to be trusted to give us a fair and free election, it would certainly be the case of giving the grass to the goat as custodian, some say that is the best safety measure for the grass and others think it is sheer madness.

The message is that Nigerians should stand up for their right, be ready to let all concerned know that we went independence from the slavery that the present PDP disaster has put us into. INEC is not made up of expatriates or ghosts…they have a role to play, can they stand and be counted, can the state security apparatus refuse to be used, let them for once disobey a few Oga to please plenty houseboys and girls, without us, there will be no one to rule after all. For candidates the era of erasing mosquitoes from Ajegunle, Rumi Omasi, Angwar Dirty is gone…we want and deserve better. Allah help us to help ourselves as the countdown to Obasanjo’s send forth party to Ota farm that generates those millions per month continues. Amin!