2007: Abdusalami Canvasses Independent Candidacy
From Jide Orintunsin in Minna
Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has advocated that independent candidates should be allowed to contest all political positions in the 2007 elections.
Speaking in Minna yesterday at a one-day seminar organised by the Niger State office of the Independent National Electoral Commis-sion (INEC), the military leader said the country is ripe to have independent candidates for all elective offices.
Sections 131(C), 177(C), 106(d) and 65(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution state clearly that a person qualified for election into the offices of president, governor, national assembly and state assembly should be a "member of a political party and is sponsored by that party."
But Abdulsalami said the environment was right for individuals to contest elections on their personal merit, without necessarily using any of the existing political party platforms.
In his 16-page paper entitled "Constitution of Democracy: Strategy for the Enhancement of Electoral Process," Abdulsalami said his call was borne out of experience and political evolution in the country.
"I support the idea of independent candidate for all political positions. My experience in watching our political evolution and my observation of what obtains elsewhere, convinced me that we need independent candidates for all political positions," he stated.
He also suggested the introduction of a new electoral system, where the INEC will conduct Presidential and National Assembly elections only, while the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) will be saddled with the responsibility of conducting governorship and State Assembly elections.
Short of calling for the abolition of local government system, and the adoption of city and town councils system, the former military leader said election at the third-tier of government level should be the concern of each city/town councils.
On proposal for the use of computer-based voting mechanism in the next elections, Abdulsalami supported the modern electoral process as he argued that the system will also make rigging difficult.
The new technology, he explained, will reduce costs, minimize corrupt practices and inculcate the expertise and experience of best electoral practices from the lowest level to the top. He also added that the mechanism will introduce plurality in the nation's political system.
He then suggested that INEC should try the computer based voting mechanism for some of the bye-elections before the general elections.
To enhance a credible electoral process, he suggested that all elections should hold in all parts of the country on the same day instead of the current staggered system.
Earlier, INEC Chairman, Chief Abel Guobadia, said the Commission will continue to ensure a transparent electoral process. This, he said, would be achieved through the involvement of all political parties in the formulation of policies and strategies by the commission.
Declaring the seminar open, the Niger State Governor, Alhaji Abdulkadir Kure, said INEC has shown that it was capable of handling the responsibility assigned to it, as it manifested in the two general elections conducted by the Commission in 1999 and 2003.
Kure who spoke through the Secretary to the State Government, Comrade Adams Erena, said "based on the elections so far conducted by INEC, I am happy to say that the Commission performed creditably well".
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