The path toward delivering a credible election come April by the Independent National Electoral Commission appears to be strewn with more difficulties than the commission envisaged. Just as it failed yesterday to launch an expected legal challenge against the recent Federal High Court verdict which barred governorship elections in five states, it was gathered that ballot papers were in short supply ahead of next month’s general elections, according to a senior official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who did not want to be identified, deepening the uncertainty around nationwide polls, barely a month away.
In an interview, the INEC official disclosed that the electoral body was frantically considering foreign printers with barely a month until the elections are scheduled to start. The INEC source revealed that the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc, is having major capacity constraints to meet the April deadline. The source said that alarm bells began to ring last week after a courtesy call by INEC officials to the Mint revealed how behind schedule they were.
“The Mint had been commissioned to design, print and deliver over 100 million ballot papers for the elections,” the INEC official said. “So far, I can tell you that they are nowhere near that yet.” He added that the commission would now “almost certainly” have to enlist the help of foreign printers to meet the April targets. Such a decision would have considerable financial ramifications, the source disclosed.
“There are three firms which are being considered and they are all in Europe,” the INEC official said. “They are based in Italy, Germany and France and almost certainly one of them will get the contract.” The official said that the United Kingdom, United States and Canada had been ruled out of the running due to cost and distance respectively. “UK’s estimate was almost double that of others,” he said. “The US option was cheap but just too far to guarantee timely delivery.”
The source said that four inspection committees had been set up last year and had made trips to the different countries in December to assess the merits of each printer. Each team had made recommendations and the commission would now revisit them, the source added.
History Repeating Itself
The possible delay in printing raises further fears that not everyone will have a fair chance of voting when the elections begin next month. In 2007, a last-minute scramble resulted in millions of ballot papers being hastily reprinted in South Africa. The confusion led to ballot papers arriving late and, in some cases, without unique serial numbers. Several observers noted that the lack of ballot papers was the main reason voting did not take place in several parts of the country. The press secretary to the INEC chairman, Kayode Idowu, denied the allegations and said everything remained on track to ensure a free and fair election.
“All of that is false; there are no problems with the ballot papers. The process is on course,” Mr. Idowu said. Asked whether there were apprehensions as to the timely delivery of the papers, he said: “You know these are sensitive materials and they have to be treated with care. There are no apprehensions; the process is ongoing.”
INEC Delays Appeal on Governorship Case
The commission had confirmed over the weekend that it would file an appeal at the Supreme Court against the lower court directive on governorship elections in Kogi, Cross River, Adamawa, Sokoto and Bayelsa states, whose governors, the court had ruled, should not be part of April elections. But with about 30 days to elections and a legal apparatus overstretched by more than 150 ongoing court cases, the appeal could not commence Monday although officials could not give explanations. Those who spoke struggled to reaffirm the commission’s earlier position that an appeal would be instituted.
“INEC will appeal,” spokesperson, Mr. Idowu, insisted late Monday afternoon. He said it could not be certain at the time whether legal representatives of the electoral body had filed its response at the Supreme court as expected. Earlier on Monday, one of the commission’s lawyers sighted at the Federal High Court, Abuja, Hassan Liman, evaded inquiries from journalists on the position of the case, referring them to INEC headquarters. When reached later on phone, Mr. Liman, refused to respond further when he realised the caller was a journalist.
But Mr. Idowu said that the commencement of the case would be a public process, a confirmation that the case had not begun amid concerns from opposition candidates whether or not gubernatorial polls would be conducted in the affected states. On account of their 2007 elections having been nullified by the courts, the Federal High Court in Abuja last week ruled that the tenure of the five governors counted anew from when they took oath of office after an ordered rerun, implying that elections there would stretch into 2012.
INEC anchored its position on the newly-amended Constitution and Electoral Act which prescribes that in cases of rerun, the tenure will be calculated from the first time the governors affected took the oath. Yet, with the court position, Mr. Idowu said the Commission was unaware of any withdrawal from the April contest by the five governors: Liyel Imoke, Aliyu Wammako, Timipriye Silva, Murtala Nyako and Ibrahim Idris.
As the deadline for replacement and withdrawal of candidates passed yesterday, dozens of party officials filled the commission’s headquarters, meeting with INEC staff and passing documents. Mr. Idowu said that the replacements could not be confirmed until the list was published on Wednesday. Currently, attention is focused more on the People’s Democratic Party which has the bulk of controversial cases notably in Ogun, Abia and Oyo states, and the Congress for Progressive Change which is still contending with a governorship dispute in Kano State.
By Terfa Tilley-Gyado and Ini Ekott
Culled from 234next.
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