APC govs reject INEC timetable

INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega

Governors on the platform of the All Progressives Congress have kicked against the sequence of elections in the timetable by the Independent National Electoral Commission, for the 2015 elections.

The state chief executives, who registered their displeasure with the timetable, said they were against the proposed plan to conduct the presidential election before the governorship and federal legislative elections.

The APC governors, while speaking to SUNDAY PUNCH in separate interviews, accused INEC of conniving with the Presidency and the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to use the election schedule to their advantage.

INEC had on January 24, 2014, released the timetable for the 2015 elections, in which the Presidential and National Assembly elections are slated for February 14, 2015. The commission also fixed state assembly and governorship elections for February 28 of same year.

The aggrieved governors included Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State; Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State; Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State; and Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State.

Amaechi, who is the Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum, insisted that a bottom-up approach was the best for any general election. He said the conduct of the presidential poll before the governorship election would be unfair to the APC.

Amaechi, who spoke through the Chief of Staff, Government House, Mr.  Tony  Okocha, said, “All the elections should hold on the same day. I support my party’s position on the timetable. Holding the presidential election first and later the governorship election will not be fair to us.

“It should be bottom-up and not from the top to the bottom. The current election timetable, as released by INEC, will give room for unhealthy bandwagon effect.

“INEC should, as a matter of urgency, amend the 2015 elections timetable. I hear that they (INEC) are saying the elections will not be perfect. Who then would suffer the imperfection of the elections? Nigerians are yearning for free, fair and credible elections. This is not the time to talk of imperfection.”

In the same vein, the Director of Press and Public Relations to the Kano State Governor, Baba Datiye, said the earlier schedule of the presidential election would create a bandwagon effect.

He said, “The position of Governor Rabiu Kwakwanso has remained that having the presidential election first is the beginning of rigging. They want to benefit from a bandwagon effect.

“It should have been the last, so that people will be used to the ballot paper and the voting process. But because they want to rig (the election), they are starting from the biggest (presidential). Even the gap between the presidential election and the governorship poll is about two weeks. It is not fair.”

In his submission, Aregbesola accused INEC of planning to connive with the ruling PDP to manipulate the governorship and legislative elections.

The governor, who spoke through the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Sunday Akere, alleged that the electoral body had planned to manipulate the process by fixing the governorship and National Assembly elections after the presidential poll.

He said, “It is not right to schedule the governorship and the National Assembly polls after the presidential election. What the PDP is thinking is that it will enjoy bandwagon effect in the elections.

“But, we are not bothered because the APC is winning the presidential poll. The bandwagon effect the PDP thinks it will enjoy would be swung in favour of our party.”

Akere insisted that the governorship and the National Assembly polls should be held before the presidential election. He noted that any victorious party at the presidential polls always enjoyed bandwagon effect to win subsequent polls.

Also speaking, Nyako faulted the sequence of the elections, as contained in the timetable.

Speaking through the state Director of Press and Public Affairs, Ahmad Sajoh, he alleged that INEC and the PDP designed the timetable to favour the candidate of the ruling party.

He said, “We feel that the election timetable is faulty because these elections can be held in one day. Their plan is to have a bandwagon effect on other elections.

“We know that this is their intention and our belief is that if we mobilise very well nationwide, there is no way this President (Goodluck Jonathan) will win.”

The Lagos State Government said it was still studying the timetable and would decide on it soon.

The Commissioner for Information, Mr. Lateef Ibirogba, said,  “Note that I am talking personally as Lateef Ibirogba. I have said it that I am waiting for Jega to disappoint me by conducting a credible election.  We have seen what 2015 will look like with the Anambra State (governorship) election and I am happy Jega admitted that it was not credible.

“So, I am pessimistic about the timetable but I am convinced that what they (INEC) want to achieve by putting the presidential election first will not work. The people can no longer be bought.”

The leadership of the APC has said it would soon meet to make its final decision on the timetable.

Speaking to one of our correspondents, the Interim National Publicity Secretary, APC, Mr. Lai Mohammed, said while the party was still consulting, a decision known to back the governors should not be ruled out.

He said, “The party is going to meet and discuss that issue. The governors have the right to make their grievances known but as a party, we have yet to make our final decision. However, the party may later agree with them after its meeting.”

However, some PDP governors expressed their satisfaction with the timetable.

The Plateau State Governor, Jonah Jang, described the timetable as commendable. He urged the electorate to follow the guidelines issued by INEC.

The state Director of Press Affairs, James Mannok, said, “I think it is commendable, especially with the early release of the timetable, as it will give ample time for all political parties to prepare for the elections.

“The buck has now been passed to everybody to adhere to the rules. INEC is being proactive and alert.”