By Emmanuel Oloniruha
The Abuja School of Social and Political Thoughts (ASSPT) has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC ) not to jeopardise the credibility of the forthcoming election by engaging transport unions loyal to a political party .
The Director of the School, Dr Sam Amadi, gave the advice at a news conference in Abuja.
Amadi was responding to concerns by some Nigerians that INEC was planning to use transport union headed by Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo for elections logistics delivery in Lagos State.
According to him, INEC intention to use MC Oluomo-led union in spite of his connection with the Presidential Campaign Council of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will affect the citizens’ trust in the Commission.
“The presidential candidate of the PDP has also called on INEC not to employ MC Oluomo group for movement of electoral materials because of the real possibility of undermining the credibility of the elections in Lagos State.
“INEC should not be told that any association with any platform under the control of MC Oluomo is a big risk.
“Whatever it will take for INEC to maintain credibility must be done. INEC needs to go an extra mile to ensure that it does not jeopardise the credibility of the elections it is conducting,” he said.
The Abuja School also identified a dangerous nexus that needed to be closely monitor to ensure that the country has free and fair elections.
He explained that the nexus was desperate politicians-weak INEC-overbearing court.
“We need to stop the activities of this desperate politicians who will stop at nothing to distort and manipulate the system.
“It will be futile for INEC to trust these politicians and play into their hand.
“In our view, the proper stance is to doubt their good faith and keep them at arm’s length as much as possible,” he further stated.
Amadi was worried by the fact that the courts were taking over the electoral process, adding that this move was dangerous for the development of democracy and sustainable peace in the court.
He added that the electoral process was based on the will of the people and the freedom of the people to choose their leaders.
He, however, said that this process needed to be strengthened to avoid the possibility of violence post-election.
“The role of the courts in managing electoral disputes has become controversial.
“A few weeks ago, the Supreme Court declared that the former governor of Akwa Ibom, Godswill Akpabio, is the lawful candidate for Senate in the state.
“This is a matter that the INEC REC reported that Akpabio did not contest the primary.
“We take the view that in such case of Akpabio, the intervention of the Supreme Court often suggest usurpation of the right of party members to elect their candidates.
Amadi was with the opinion that such decision by the Supreme Court would expose the highest court of the land to complaint of taking over the work of INEC and the voters. (NAN)
