INEC faces fresh trouble, 40 parties opt out of Monday poll

A pall of uncertainty yesterday surrounded today’s rescheduled National Assembly elections as about 40 out of 63 political parties have opted out of the poll.

The parties met in Abuja and asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to forget the conduct of the poll today.

But the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, summoned a fire brigade consultative meeting with the parties and the talks were in progress as at press time.

Before the meeting with Jega, the parties had held a session at NICON Luxury Hotel Abuja under the auspices of Inter-Party Advisory Council.

The session faulted Jega’s alleged arbitrary rescheduling of the National Assembly poll and resolved that Monday is unrealistic.

In a communiqué, signed by IPAC Chairman, Chief Osita Okereke and Secretary, Alhaji Shittu Mohammed, they alleged that about 15million ballot papers had been used in three states on Saturday and they might be difficult for INEC to replace within 24 hours.

The communiqué reads: “Broad consultations have been held with parties such as Action Congress of Nigeria, Congress for Progressive Change, Labour Party, National Democratic Party, National Solidarity Democratic Party, African Liberation Party, Peoples Progressive Party, Citizens Popular Party, and National Action Council. In all about 40 political parties were consulted. The political parties totally and completely reject Monday.

“It is unacceptable that having failed in its most basic statutory responsibility to conduct the April 2011 National Assembly elections, INEC should arbitrarily announce a new date of Monday, 4th April 2011 without consultations with the political parties who are the major stakeholders in the election.

“As it now stands, the parties are not ready or prepared for this new date and as such, we are not party to the date as dictated by INEC.

“The political parties have resolved that no election should hold on Monday, 4th April 2011 and that INEC should immediately convene a meeting of leaders of all political parties in order to chart an acceptable way forward.

“It is on record that partial voting has already taken place in some states of the Federation such as Lagos , Kano and Kaduna that have approximately 15million registered voters.

“In this regard, about 15million ballots have been used for this partial voting. The question is: How does INEC intend to replace the 15million ballot papers already used under 24 hours?

“It is also on record that ballot papers have been partially issued to most voting centres in the Federation, implying that the security of the ballot papers and the ballot boxes have been compromised.

“We totally doubt INEC’s ability to safeguard and guarantee the safety of these electoral materials now freely in circulation bearing in mind that it was broadcast on National Television that the youth corps members involved in the process were conveyed to the polling centres in private vehicles.

“The nation has been told by INEC that their failure is a direct consequence of default on the part of its contractor to deliver necessary electoral materials. INEC needs to specify who this contractor is and every effort ought to be made to arrest and prosecute those responsible.

“We add that with the ongoing WAEC Examinations, it is not feasible to hold the elections on Monday, 4th April 2011 as doing so will disenfranchise many student adults who are taking this examination.

“In the light of the foregoing electoral logjam and given the goings on in Cote D’Ivoire and other African countries, we ask that stakeholders put all hands on deck to chart a new course.”