{"id":413769,"date":"2011-05-02T05:51:07","date_gmt":"2011-05-02T05:51:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/05\/02\/supplementary-elections-unconstitutional\/"},"modified":"2011-05-02T05:51:07","modified_gmt":"2011-05-02T05:51:07","slug":"supplementary-elections-unconstitutional","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/05\/02\/supplementary-elections-unconstitutional\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Supplementary Elections Unconstitutional’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"This<\/a><\/p>\n

Tobi Soniyi<\/p>\n

2 May 2011<\/p>\n

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A Professor of Law, Chidi Odinkalu has described the proposed supplementary elections in Imo State as illegal and unconstitutional.<\/p>\n

In a statement he issued Sunday in Abuja, Odinkalu stated that by virtue of section 178(2) of the 1999 Constitution election into the office of Imo State Governor must be held not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of the office.<\/p>\n

He argued that since Ikedi Ohakim would vacate office by May 29, any election held less than the stipulated 30 days would be unconstitutional.<\/p>\n

Section 178(2) provides that “(a)n election to the office of Governor of a State shall be held on a date not earlier than sixty days and not later than thirty days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of that office.”<\/p>\n

Odinkalu said: “In ordering “supplementary elections” to take place on 6 May in four out of 27 local government areas following what it described as “inconclusive elections” for the office of governor in Imo State on 26 April, Professor Attahiru Jega’s INEC will be manifestly acting contrary to law and without lawful authority or justification. It has a duty to tell Nigerians and the world why it must do so.”<\/p>\n

According to him, INEC has a burden to justify why it has chosen an option that is not supported by laws, facts or the Constitution. It has signally failed to do so.<\/p>\n

He recalled that during his confirmation as the chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in July 2010 and on numerous occasions thereafter, Jega promised that his Electoral Commission would at all times act lawfully.<\/p>\n

He explained that section 178(2) of the Constitution allowed little room for error. Ikedi Ohakim, the current Governor of Imo State, took the oath to begin his four-year term of office on May 29, 2007. His current tenure will expire on the mid-night preceding May 29, 2011. All voting to determine whether he continues in office or is succeeded by someone else ought, in compliance with the Constitution, to have been concluded not later than April 29, 2011.<\/p>\n

“INEC’s proposal for “Supplementary” voting in Mbaitoli, Ngor-Okpala, and Ohaji-Egbema LGAs of Imo State, in particular, one week later than is constitutionally permissible charts a new path in unlawful quagmire,” he added.<\/p>\n

The other affected location is Orji, in Owerri North LGA.<\/p>\n

He noted that in proposing the supplementary elections, INEC failed to disclose any compelling factual narrative or legal justification or, indeed, what other options it considered.<\/p>\n

For those who fret about getting to May 29 without a duly declared Governor for the State, Odinkalu argued that there were constitutional provisions governing that eventuality should it occur.<\/p>\n

He however, pointed out that supplementary vote was not a category or event recognised by the laws or constitution of Nigeria.<\/p>\n

He called on INEC to investigate all reported incidents and allegations of electoral malpractice in the Imo Governorship elections, including the movement restriction timed to coincide with the most important hours of results collation.<\/p>\n

The facts are that on April 26 governorship elections took place in Imo State as in 23 other States of Nigeria. Despite the best efforts of a largely peaceful population, Imo State reported arguably the worst cases of Election Day malpractice and violence, with quite serious allegations against disclosed senior public or party officials assisted by law enforcement agents.<\/p>\n

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\n‘Supplementary Elections Unconstitutional’<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tobi Soniyi 2 May 2011 A Professor of Law, Chidi Odinkalu has described the proposed supplementary elections in Imo State as illegal and unconstitutional. In a statement he issued Sunday in Abuja, Odinkalu stated that by virtue of section 178(2) of the 1999 Constitution election into the office of Imo State Governor must be held not later than 30 days before the expiration of the term of office of the last holder of the office. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-413769","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n'Supplementary Elections Unconstitutional' - Ghanamma.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/05\/02\/supplementary-elections-unconstitutional\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"'Supplementary Elections Unconstitutional' - Ghanamma.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Tobi Soniyi 2 May 2011 A Professor of Law, Chidi Odinkalu has described the proposed supplementary elections in Imo State as illegal and unconstitutional. 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