NIGERIANS’ wish  is that this  trend should be sustained in such a way that our electoral headaches would be minimised if not completely eradicated.

However, one observes with regret that given the actions and inactions of the functionaries of the electoral body so far, our euphoria, optimism and hopes following 2011 elections may have been misplaced.

The signals from our electoral body have not given us much cause for joy. The signals one gets from some  actions of our Electoral Commission indicate that many of their decisions are either not well thought out or that the high echelon of that body is confused or that they are acting a script written for them elsewhere. Who these scripts writers are or do we call them pay masters will definitely be known sooner or later.

This writer is not a member of any political party in Nigeria but since man is a political animal one cannot be indifferent to political developments in one’s country.

For instance, one is at pains to ascertain  why an electoral body worth its name will send its personnel to observe the convention of a political party, endorse all the processes and after more than one year sing a different song in respect of the conduct of the said convention.

The confusion created by the report of INEC on the conduct of the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) conducted in March 2012 is one instance where the electoral body instead of giving democracy free rein is creating stumbling blocks in the process.

According to newspaper reports, the INEC’s 12 man committee under the Chairmanship of Col. M. K Hammanga rejected the adoption of affirmation for 9 of the 12 members of the National Working Committee of the party elected at the Convention. The said report stated that the process adopted by the PDP to elect the affected 9 officials of the party violated paragraph 6.5 of the guidelines used for conducting the 2012 congresses and national convention of the party.

Concerned about this matter which affects the leading political party in the country, I had to avail myself of the constitution of the party. I have not read the said guidelines but it is an established fact that no guideline is superior to the constitution of the party whose provisions are binding on all party members at all times.

Having read the constitution of the party from the first page to the last I did not observe any section that states that party officers should not be elected through affirmation. There is no provision that states that every party position must be filled through casting of ballot. I stand to be corrected.

Moreover guidelines for election are prepared by a few members of the party. But a convention is the highest organ of the party whose resolutions supersede guidelines for elections at any level of the party.

If the electoral guidelines were presented to the National Convention of the party and the convention adopted affirmation for election of those members of the National Working Committee of the party who were returned unopposed from their various states and geopolitical zones, it means that those members elected by affirmation where duly elected, as confirmed by the party’s highest organ that is The National Convention.

One wonders what use the electoral body’s presence at the National Convention of a political party is to it and Nigerians if it cannot utilise its presence in ensuring that things are done properly.

Shouldn’t the INEC officials present at that convention have advised the PDP leadership to use the ballot for all the positions in contest, instead of allowing affirmation for electing some candidates only to cry wolf 12 months later?

It is tendentious and unexpected of an impartial electoral body.

Significantly, paragraph 3 of Article 7: Aims and Objectives of the party states that the party should adhere to the policy of the rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices in pursuance of the principle of zoning, justice and fairness.

If in pursuing this objective, the leaders of the party in their wisdom distribute all positions in the party National Working Committee equitably among the 6 geopolitical zones in the country, what is the quarrel of INEC with this? Politics has been described as the management or resolution of conflict.

In this wise the party leadership may encourage the various candidates contesting party position to arrive at a consensus and support one candidate for a particular position. This arrangement was not novel in the March 2012 Convention of the PDP. The late President Yar’Adua emerged Presidential candidate of the 2007 Presidential Primaries of the party through consensus. Hence a leading aspirant for the position Dr. Peter Odili had to step down for him. The then INEC observed this convention but did not advise the cancellation of the process.

Similarly Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, at another convention of the PDP some years later emerged the National Chairman of the party through consensus, supported by other contenders like Dr. Sam Egwu and Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim. INEC observed this convention and did not advise its cancellation.

Why is it that it was only in the PDP Convention of March 2012 that INEC is finding fault with the process of affirmation which was used in previous conventions by the party. There is definitely more to this  than  meets the eye. The INEC should not weep more than the bereaved.

If there are party members who were aggrieved by the process of affirmation used in electing 9 of the 12 NWC members, they know where to seek redress. Our electoral body should desist from causing confusion in the political parties.

They have enough challenges in ensuring a free and fair election in 2015. Already some newspapers have written editorials advising INEC on the way to go in voters registration.

The direct data capture machines on which billions of naira was spent in 2007 did not solve our multiple registration problems. The 2015 election is less than two years away. How prepared is INEC in the area of voters registration, voters education and other logistics.

Instead of giving due attention to these areas of its mandate, it is meddling with the internal affairs of political parties. Prof. Jega’s INEC can definitely do better.

Mr. SSEGUN SASORE, a political analyst, wrote from Abuja.