Date Published: 02/22/10

Sir,

It is not about Ngige but Constitutionality

Before the result of the Anambra gubernatorial election was released by the INEC, there was a lot of outcry by the disenfranchised voters that turned out in their droves wanting to cast their votes. The result of the INEC’s inefficiency resulted in only about 16% of the registered voters casting their votes. Even Governor Obi at the voting time complained bitterly, describing the INEC’s arrangement as a sham; he not able to exercise his own civic responsibility regarding casting of vote. Almost every other candidate in the race as well as many notable personalities, including Ojukwu, complained

The few that casted their votes did bring out a result as presented by the INEC, which showed that Obi had the highest number of votes cast. Again INEC in their usual characteristics of inefficiency was quick to release the result that did not meet the required criteria; they forgot that two thirds of 21 LGA came to 14, and this is paramount. Obi scored only in 13, the mandatory 25%. The constitution required that if no one scored the spread of 25% of vote cast even though he had the majority of the vote cast, there must be a run-off between such a person and the next following. The lot now falls on Obi and Ngige and the constitution must be respected.

INEC deceived many who now regret congratulating Governor Obi in haste; as a result they have started recanting in subtle ways. The former Commonwealth Secretary General Chief Anyaoku is among the many that did not see the conduct of the election as a good one. Though the conduct could be said to be peaceful more than expected but that is not to say that the constitution and electoral laws must be discountenanced. Now INEC is countering with another figure different from the original, all in attempt to prove that it did announce the right person as the winner. This has created another controversy. Ngige should move to the election tribunal with his details and do to Obi what he did to him after 2003 elections.

Nnamdi Nwaorah. Zik Avenue. AWKA. Anambra State