Blog

President Goodluck Jonathan snubbed a television debate with election rivals on Friday, drawing criticism from the Facebook generation he sought to woo at his campaign launch six months ago.

There was an empty podium next to his rivals, ex-military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, former anti-corruption chief Nuhu Ribadu and Kano state governor Ibrahim Shekarau, at the event, broadcast live on Nigerian news channel NN24 and the Internet.

"Why don't Ribadu, Shekarau and Buhari agree under one party and kick this PDP (ruling party) out of power," said one posting on a Facebook page dedicated to following the NN24 debate.

"GEJ (Jonathan) should have at least sent a Senior Special Assistant on Debates and Challenging Interviews," said one commentator on Twitter, mocking the ruling party's reputation for setting up committees without solving problems.

The presidency said NN24's request was one of several from media organisations seeking to organise a televised debate and had been received while he was busy on the campaign trail.

"The request came late, it was one of ten. He's going to participate in a debate on the 29th...It's unfair to the president to suggest he's avoiding a debate," said Ken Saro-Wiwa, his special assistant on international affairs.

The presidential vote is due to be held on April 9, with parliamentary elections a week earlier and state governorship elections a week later.

Jonathan announced his intention to run in the elections on social networking site Facebook in September, stealing the thunder from Buhari, who was holding a campaign launch in the capital Abuja at the time.

Jonathan's aides spun the strategy as a sign he was a "breath of fresh air" in touch with Nigerian youth. Political commentators acknowledged the stark contrast with the traditional pomp of Buhari's launch was a publicity coup.

But his campaign has since lost momentum, with the turnout at some of his rallies in recent weeks less than overwhelming.

A pre-recorded television interview with local music star D'banj, broadcast on Thursday evening, was pilloried by some as a patronising attempt to engage with the youth.

"Jonathan and the PDP may be misjudging the youth who are determined to put an end to the era of mediocrity and criminal showmanship that has dragged their nation backward for decades," said one comment doing the rounds on Blackberry messenger.

Opposition Eyes Run-Off

The ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) candidate has won every election since the end of military rule 12 years ago and Jonathan remains the front runner, but opposition parties are hoping they may be able to force a run-off.

Jonathan must win at least a quarter of the vote in two thirds of the 36 states to secure victory in the first round.

Buhari has strong grass roots support in parts of the north, while Ribadu's Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) is dominant in the southwest, and while they have no formal alliance they are hoping to prevent Jonathan clinching a first-round win.

Diplomats were in the front row at the debate and members of the audience were asked to submit questions in advance.

Buhari was grilled on his reputation as an authoritarian during military rule, Ribadu on why he was standing for a party whose members include people he has accused of graft, and Shekarau on the Hisbah Islamic squad he set up in Kano to enforce sharia law even on a Christian minority.

The opposition has called for the order of the parliamentary and state governorship votes to be amended, saying the timetable favoured the ruling party because if Jonathan won the presidential race then voters would be more inclined to vote PDP at state level a week later.

The electoral commission ruled out the suggestion on Friday, saying it was too late for such a change.

"It is like a moving train, it cannot suddenly be brought to a stop because you see something by the rail," electoral commission spokesman Kayode Idowu said.

opts for march 29th

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, who was conspicuously absent from the president debate organized t by NN24, has said he will make himself available for next rounds of debate, scheduled for March 29.

A press statement issued by Ima Niboro, Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, said, “President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has accepted an invitation to participate in presidential debate being organized by the Broadcasting Organizations’ of Nigeria (BON) in collaboration with the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria”.

 
“The debate is scheduled for Tuesday, March 29 and will be broadcast live on the network service of the African Independent Television, AIT, Channels TV, Silverbird TV,  Nigerian Television, Authority, Radio Nigeria and other public and private broadcasting stations in the country”.

 

“President Jonathan looks forward to seizing the opportunity of the debate to further present his case for the renewal of his mandate to Nigerian voters”.

In related development, Mr. Ide Eguabor, director of media and publicity, of  Jonathan/Sambo campaign organization  adduced reason why President Jonathan was unable to make to the NN24 presidential debate.

In his words:
“The Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation has watched with utter consternation, efforts by some individuals and groups to feed the Nigerian public with inaccurate and distorted information to suit their selfish ends.

“A presidential debate to be organised by the management of NN24, a subscriber to Multichoice’s DSTV cable, is deliberately being heated up by those who now see what the president will do or will not do as an opportunity for political capital.
“The truth of the matter is that several applications from various groups, including that of NN24, have reached the Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation seeking to organise the presidential debate, preparatory to the April general elections.

“The campaign organization sent its officials to sit as observers at some of the meetings called to deliberate on modalities. However, after a thorough examination of the reports of its observers to these meetings, a collective decision was taken to retain the body that had organized presidential debates since 1999 and has performed creditably well and so, saw no need to discard the platform and template for another.

“The fact is that, the Nigerian Election Debate Group (NEDG), organisers of the presidential debate series, is an amalgamation of the Nigeria’s mass media, print and electronic, the Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), the Nigeria Bar Association, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), market women and other civil society groups.
“The Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation does not believe that this relevant and credible body, made up of Nigerians and who will moderate a presidential debate watched by Nigerians on all television and radio stations nationwide should be jettisoned for any other on the eve of crucial national elections.
“Furthermore, President Goodluck Jonathan who has a carefully drawn out schedule leading up to the elections will not be able to cancel any of his appointments now to attend to a debate that is only the result of a fresh application.
“Having only just concluded his tour of the 36 states of Nigeria, President Jonathan has a hectic schedule ahead before the grand finale of the state campaigns at Abuja on March 26, 2011.
“The Jonathan/Sambo Campaign Organisation regrets that President Goodluck Jonathan will unavoidably be unable to attend the debate organised by NN24.

The Delta State governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, yesterday stressed the need for increased funding for the police, especially during the electoral processes, saying the reported N17 billion allocated to the Nigeria Police Force for the purpose of monitoring the conduct of the forthcoming April elections was inadequate.

Mr. Uduaghan made the criticism at the opening ceremony of a two-day national conference on partnering the police for free, fair, and credible 2011 elections, organised by the management of Vanguard Newspapers in collaboration with the South-South governors in Asaba, capital of Delta State.

According to the state governor, the call to increase funding to the police was as a result of its key role in all the stages of electoral processes in the country, which he noted was as important as that of INEC in ensuring free, fair, and credible elections...

He observed that as a result of concerns about the success in the forthcoming general elections, the National Assembly has always considered speedily the budget and demands of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Asking for more

"I think INEC has the fastest budget ever passed by the National Assembly members in the history of Nigeria. This means that funding is required for the conduct of successful elections," Mr. Uduaghan said.

"I also believe that police require appropriate funding if we want to achieve violence-free, fair and credible elections in 2011 and beyond. What I read in the newspapers, I don't know if it was correct, that the federal government approved N17 billion for the police for the purpose of elections monitoring.

"If that is correct, then it is underfunding of the police for this coming elections. If it is N17 billion for the police to cover the whole Nigeria for the purpose of the April general elections, I want to say that money is not enough and not adequate.

"Except it is officially allowed or permitted that the states have to do something. I want to appeal that we should have a second look at the money budgeted for the police," Mr. Uduaghan said.

He said the logistics need for the police is quite high, and called on government to find a way to assist the police in meeting its expectations for the polls.

The publisher of Vanguard Newspaper and chief facilitator of the event, Sam Amuka, said Nigeria had an unpalatable history of democracy resulting from disputed elections results.

He observed that the imperfections in the nation's electoral process has degenerated since the 1999 political dispensation, especially with the "do or die" syndrome that was built into the 2007 general elections, adding that the process led to political war between candidates of different political parties.

The conference was aimed at identifying causes of violence during elections in the country.

condemn the use of corpers:

Politicians at a stakeholders election forum organised by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Asaba, Delta State, have cautioned against plan that could turn youth corps members as sacrificial lambs in the forthcoming April polls.

They  also called on the Federal Government to double the strength of the police force in order to effectively man polling units, which in the  past witnessed ballot snatching and changing of results.

Leading the campaign for INEC to reconsider its stand on the use of  corps members, Delta north senatorial candidate for All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Ambassador Elizabeth Ogbon-day, said the corps members would be exposed to great risk in an environment they were not familiar with and that when pressure mounted on them, they could compromise their integrity.

According to her, the corps members would be exposed to more dangers in the light of a poor security arrangement where the few unarmed policemen at the voting centres would not be able to match the horde of thugs and other political rascals.

Ogbon-day recalled the January 6 rerun election in the state  at her community, Ogoni in Olomu clan where corps members used as INEC officials had to obey instructions from thugs in order to remain alive.

Another speaker maintained that in case of litigation after election, the  corps members used for election would not come to testify at tribunals.

The participants were of the view that INEC should purge itself in the discharge of its duties, because people, including the international community were watching.

Earlier, Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Delta State, Dr. Gabriel Adah, said INEC had resolved to use corpers in the election and that any who fumbled would have their services extended.

According to him, two corpers who faked their kidnap and others who were involved in fraudulent practices in the re-run election in the state in January  had their services extended by six months.

However, he commended some corpers who returned to INEC as much as N20,000 given to them as gratification by politicians to do their bidding.

Dr. Adah disclosed that any polling unit where ballot boxes were snatched or the number of votes cast exceeded the number of accredited voters would be cancelled and a fresh election conducted after two days, all to sanitise the electoral process.

Governorship election may not hold in five states this April following a ruling by a federal high court in Abuja, yesterday, extending the tenure of the incumbent governors. Presiding judge, Adamu Bello, said any such election in Kogi, Sokoto, Adamawa, Cross River and Bayelsa states will have to wait till next year.

The ruling also set new dates for the termination of the tenures of the governors. Ibrahim Idris, Kogi, will stay on till April 5,2012; Aliyu Wammakko, Sokoto, remains till May 28,2012; Timipre Sylva, Bayelsa, leaves the next day on May 29, 2012; Liyel Imoke's tenure in Cross River terminates on August 28, 2012; and Murtala Nyako, Adamawa, gets his tenure elongated till April 30th, 2012.

The five governors had gone to court to challenge the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct governorship elections in their states this year. They said their tenure only began after they won the run off in their states and so should not be terminated in April 2011. They named INEC and the Peoples Democratic Party as first and second defendants respectively..

Electoral commission waits

When contacted last night, the electoral chairman's spokesperson, Kayode Idowu, said the commission will not be rushed into taking any decision until it has made further consultations on the judgment. "When we receive the judgment, we will have to sit down with our lawyers to study the decision. Taking a decision now will be too sudden." Mr. Idowu said.

The counsel to the five governors: Lateef Fagbemi, Kanu Agabi, Sunday Ameh, Ladi Rotimi Williams and Paul Erokoro had asked the court to stop INEC and the PDP from conducting elections in the five states, citing Section 180 (2) of the 1999 Constitution. They said the law that the four-year tenure of office for a governor begins from the day the person takes an oath of office and oath of allegiance is a sacrosanct provision and cannot be abridged or ignored.

In opposing the governors' request, the government urged the court to dismiss the case for lack of merit.

Mr Bello however held that since the 2007 elections were nullified and set aside by competent courts, the oath of office and allegiance subscribed to by the five governors have all been nullified and set aside along with the elections. He said, "the tenure of governors start counting from the day they took their oath of office and oath of allegiance." The judge further said that in line with section 180 of the 1999 Constitution, the tenure of the governors legally commenced in 2008 when they were sworn in after their first elections were annulled and rerun ordered.

According to Mr Bello, the 2007 elections used by INEC to determine the tenure of governors were legally declared null and void by competent courts of law.

Differing views

Adeniyi Akintola, who stood in for the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, argued that no tenure elongation should be granted to any of the governors since the amended 1999 Constitution was opposed to such a move.

But the PDP, represented by its national legal adviser, Olusola Oke, said the tenure of any governor in Nigeria today legally begins from the date the governor takes the oath of office and oath of allegiance.

The party claimed that the 2007 elections that brought the five governors to office in the first instance were voided and set aside for fresh ones by courts. The party therefore insisted that the oath of office taken by the affected governors have been voided along with the elections and were of no effect whatsoever in law.

INEC had announced that the tenures of governors who were re-elected after their 2007 elections were cut short by tribunals would end on May 29, 2011, like those of other governors.

What the law states

In the recently amended 1999 Constitution, Section 135 of the Principal Act, which deals with the issue of governors' tenure, has been altered in subsection (2) with the insertion of a new paragraph which states that: "in the determination of the four-year term, where a re-run election has taken place and the person earlier sworn in wins the re-run election, the time spent in the office before the date the election was annulled, shall be taken into account."

However, in justifying the ruling by Mr Bello, Jiti Ogunye, a Lagos-based lawyer said the new amendments cannot have an effect on incidents before it. According to him, "That amendment does not cover this kind of case, because any law cannot be applied retroactively."

Victory for the rule of law

Reacting to the judgment, Doifie Ola, spokesperson for the Bayelsa State governor, described the court ruling as a victory for the state and the rule of law in the country. He said, "The extension will give the administration more time to deepen development and democracy in the state." In Cross River, the PDP lauded the judgment while the opposition parties under its umbrella body, Conference of Nigerian Political Parties [CNPP] said the court ruling was a setback to the quest for a change in the governance of the state.

Cross River State Commissioner for Information, Patrick Ugbe, described the judgment as the best thing that has happened to the administration and commended the judiciary for righting the wrong caused by the Court of Appeal sitting in Calabar on July 14, 2008.

‘'We are happy with this judgment. It has strengthened our faith in the judiciary and our position that INEC was wrong in interpreting our tenure. The first oath of office taken had become a nullity. Therefore the second oath suffices, meaning Governor Liyel Imoke commenced his first term on August 26, 2010. The law cannot take retroactive effect'', he said.