By Adefolarin A. Olamilekan
As a follow-up to my last intervention article titled on the LG polls “NASIEC Expedition for Credible, Free and Fair LG Polls” which among other things charged the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) to work solidly in other to convince everyone that they mean business. Particularly has the road map to the polls in the form of guard lines and date of schedule pre-election, Election Day and post election were all gazettes to the public since July 7th, 2021. I receive several reactions from esteemed readers. \At the same time I appreciate their mushroom contributions as a whole lots of them make sense. To this a fact that many Nasarawa state indigenes and residents are looking up to NASIEC conducting a credible, transparent and free fair LG poll come October 5th,2021 that is just 36 days away. Their submission gave credence to the title of this my current intervention that we must have a plausible LG poll.
To many NASIEC, is showing faultless credentials as a state electoral umpire. In my own assessment, the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) is working hard to deliver credible, free and fair LG elections come October 6th 2021. Conversely, this cannot be possible without a functional system that recognizes stakeholder’s engagement, rather than an individualistic and selective approach. We strongly believe there is a need to sanitize a process that has become a vehicle for electoral fraud. It is on record that Governor AA Sule administration has affirmed that Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) has no other business than to deliver credible LG elections in October. Grippingly, it now in the court of Barrister Abdullahi Wanda led Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) to prove doubters wrong and show critics NASIEC is truly a credible electoral body.
Many Nasarawa state indigenes and residents now understand that elections provide them with the power to freely participate in choosing their leaders and in providing the much-needed support and legitimacy to the state. This is very significant to them at the grass root level. And they are ready to take advantage of the opportunity to participate actively. Although, there is narrow-mindedness and prejudice toward the empire NASIEC conducting credible elections. This has to do with the electoral processes and approach/procedure intriguingly perceived as an institutional mechanism for conferring political power on citizens in a democratic dispensation. One may not blame critics and opponents of the Governor AA Sule administration, what is generally obtainable when it comes to LG polls in Nigeria since 1999 is that state governors coerce state electoral bodies to declare results without ballots being cast.
Tentatively, Governor AA Sule administration and the Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) has been assuring Nasarawa state indigenes and residents that the election is going to be peaceful,free,fair, transparent, and credible.
Outstandingly, our is to see that Nasarawa State Independent Electoral Commission (NASIEC) maintain an honest, competent and non-partisan umpire in the conduct of the LG polls comes October 6th,2021. NASIEC administer all relevant laws applicable in the polls across board without favor or discrimination. Meanwhile, we charge political parties and their candidates, supporters as well Nasarawa state indigenes and resident’s political community to accept basic rules and regulations governing the contest for power. NASIEC must ensure the media, CSOs and Security agencies are carried along.
Further to this NASIEC and all political parties and teams of candidates must carefully sort out all pre-election disputes before polls date through an independent judiciary to interpret electoral laws and settle election disputes. The sequence of events must be plausible now at pre, doing and post election.
Even though all eyes are on NASIEC, it must not disappoint stakeholders in the Nigerian Electoral Space. On the other hand, NASIEC performance is juxtaposing the good work of, Governor AA Sule acumen administrator and democrat per excellence. Expressively, this we assume will lend a hand to establishing, nurturing and sustaining democracy and democratic political culture at National, state and Local Government level.
