Last Wednesday, Nigeria’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), set in motion processes that would put the nightmare or bad memories of the worst election in the history of Nigeria completely behind her. It set election dates for five governorship elections which were nullified by the tribunals and affirmed by the appeal court, but whose occupants had gone to court to contest the tenure of their offices, following plans by the INEC to conduct elections into the offices using the amended 1999 constitution as amended and the 2010 Electoral Act. But the states won the tenure legal battle and so set the tone for the present.
And whereas everything about the 2007 general elections ought to have been permanently put behind them because of the interpretations given to the constitutional provisions dealing with tenure by the law courts, Nigerians will be battling with what ordinarily should have ended with the last April elections for those who would be going for a second term in office.
Only Kogi State governor, Ibrahim Idris, out of the five ,will be making way for a successor while the rest four will battle for a second term or re-election. The electoral umpire also included Edo State which was not part of those who had gone to court, but perhaps, for reasons of convenience.
Those to face the electorate in the various states are: Governors Muritala Nyako in Adamawa; Timipre Sylva in Bayelsa; Aliyu Wamakko in Sokoto; Liyel Imoke in Cross River and Adams Oshiomhole in Edo.
Full Article: The Nation – Situating INEC’s agenda for six states.
