Encomium
‘WE WOULD SHOCK OUR CRITICS’
National Commissioner of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in charge of South-West and Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute for the body, Professor Lai Olurode has expressed optimism that credible governorship elections will be conducted in Ekiti and Osun states come June 21 and August 9, 2014 respectively.
The one time Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Lagos (UNILAG), also rubbished the heroneous impression that the team is working for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and more in a phone interview with ENCOMIUM Weekly on Sunday, May 25, 2014.
How would you describe the experience since you’re appointed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), South West Zone?
My experience since my appointment as a national commissioner with INEC has enabled me to fill a void and gap between theory and practice of election. Nigerian politician on the average is adept at the genre of political brinkmanship.
You can hardly spring a surprise at him. He struggles to be ahead of you as an election body. He is distressing and does not subscribe to due process. His mindset is made of no one will respect the rule of the game. So, why should he be the fall guy?
Can you explain your major roles as INEC commissioner for the zone?
The constitution sees the commission as an indivisible entity and the supreme organ for policy enactment and supervision. As one of the two national commissioners from the South West, I work with the resident electoral commissioners in the region to implement the commission’s agenda.
The commission can also post me to work in any part of the country. Since election is about leadership, I also convey the perspectives of the South-West to the commission to prompt synergy and electoral fidelity.
Would you say you’re realizing the INEC goals of organizing free and fair elections in the zone?
Without being immodest, Nigeria has never had conclusive elections as those for 2011. This is with regard to the verdict of Independence International Observers’ mission. But I wish not to blow the commission’s trumpet. But permit me to say that the commission is clear headed about what it is to be an umpire.
We have no preferred political party or candidate. Votes tally determine the overall outcome of preference and it’s the ultimate destination. INEC plays only a midwife’s role, voters are the ones who are pregnant with ballots.
Now that the EKiti and Osun elections are around the corner, how prepared are you and your team to ensure that a huge success is achieved in both elections?
In both Ekiti and Osun, the commission had accomplished two major exercise, the distribution of permanent voters’ cards and continuous voters’ registration which is the update of the voters’ roll. The election timetable had since been released. We have been providing vigorous vote education and public enlightenment to enable a crisis free election regime, to assist voters to make informed choices and few or zero void votes.
Moreover, we continue to engage the stakeholders. We’re committed to improving on Ekiti in all fundamental respects. The same applies to Osun. We aren’t unmindful full of the vitality and the charged election environment in the two states. A clean election will fumigate the political pollution and filth.
But the fear of the people is that INEC may align with the powers that be to work in favour of the PDP, what’s your reaction to this?
Fear that INEC may align with PDP is part of the challenges of a mindset that’s highly disturbing of even itself. INEC won’t give in to distraction. Those crying wolf should furnish evidence, he who alleges is to prove. The same doubts were raised in 2011, but all the skeptic, their soothsayers were proved wrong as mere clairvoyants, busy bodies and interlopers.
Ekiti is usually a volatile state politically, especially when it comes to election period, how secure is the place the going to be in-order to guarantee INEC security and good people of the state?
Election security is to be worried about going by the recent Ese Ode/Ilaje federal constituency bye-election which involved just two local governments. Election had to be cancelled in almost 15 percent of polling units. What a shame!
It shows the desperation of the political class and their hangers on. INEC can only continue to do its best, we expect other partners to play their expected roles in better securing the electoral processes. INEC doesn’t have its own police, security agents need to do more.
As for us, we are, in fact holding a workshop on election security for stakeholders on the fringes, transport workers and youth wings of political parties in Ekeiti and Osun states between May 26 and 27, 2014, in Ekiti.
Generally, do you see INEC succeeding in its bid to conduct credible elections in 2015, going by the security challenge facing Nigeria at the moment?
On our part, we are going ahead with our elections plan. The nationwide distribution of permanent voters’ cards and the ongoing continuous voters’ registration are preparatory to 2015. We are aware that countries under worst security situation had held their elections, recall Pakistan and Afghanistan. Our current security challenges are temporary setback.
With the support of the international community, the triumph of reason over terror is certain. Nigeria can’t surrender the wish of the majority to a few gangsters. We have arrived at the age which Bagehot called the age of discussion. The general will is supreme and must be protected by all.
– TADE ASIFAT
