Issues raised in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi off-cycle polls

Ancient President Good luck Jonathan last weekend open THE debate on THE convenience Or Otherwise of out of season elections. Speaking In A interview with journalists After vote has her Room 13 Otuoke, Ogbia LGA, Bayelsa State In November 11, 2023 off-cycle governorship election, Dr. Jonathan request THE country has put A stop has off-cycle elections, explaining that if THE orient yourself continued A time would be come When even THE presidential election could Also become A off-cycle election. Her grouse against out of season polls East that they are inconsistent with THE global best practices.

"I get worried about THE issue of out of season elections, And I will to use This unique opportunity has plead with THE National Assembly that We need has block out of season elections. He East very odd; It is not A global best practical. A country can elect It is people has different times, as THE American election And a few countries. They can not elect everyone has THE even time but THE only time they go on has to drive elections, they elect everyone that East supposed has be elected," he said.

What THE ancient president look for East all elections should socket once Or twice And there should be fixed periods For elections In Nigeria as East THE practical In United States, Or We copy OUR presidential system of government Since. In THE WE, THE presidential election takes place each four years, Congress And mid Road elections each two years And A variety of State And local elections socket each year.

THE ancient President has her indicate. Out of season election East What he East: he East not In synchronize with THE electoral ride a bike, deformed THE electoral calendar to flow And makes elections more expensive For A country as Nigeria as opposite has When All East taken together once Or twice.

But reach THE Jonathan proposal seems Utopian. It is A difficult And almost impossible thing has reach without running mistake of THE constitution.

THE Distortion In THE electoral ride a bike came about as A result of arbitration In a few governorship election petitions Since THE democratic Renaissance In 1999, which ate In THE four years term of a few governors. Eight States autumn In THE off-cycle elections as A result of judicial judgments on election petitions.

HAS here, THE States include Ekiti, Osun, Ondo, Edo, Anambra, Kogi, Bayelsa And Me. In THE case of Osun State For example, he took ancient Governor Ogbéni Rauf Aregbesola three solid years Before he was able has to recover her stolen mandate, such that her mandate, which should has to have begin In 2007 Ultimately begin In 2010. Again, by THE Constitution, he East titled has A four years mandate, And another four years, if re-elected, as was THE case In 2014.

Electoral petitions used has go on endlessly Before. However, THE 2010 Electoral Act (as amended) has NOW fixed THE time For THE audience And distribution with election petitions In 180 days And any of them which follows call In 60 days. THE National Assembly that East has here functioning on THE amendment of THE Electoral Act should look In THE ancient Of the president suggestion And decide What East possible with respect has off-cycle elections.

In My see, off-cycle elections should usually serve a few useful purposes. Instead that hurt OUR electoral system And democracy, they should has deepen them.

This East What I mean: because THE number of seats Or constituencies implied In off-cycle elections are a lot smaller compared with has at national scale elections, they Normally should give THE election stakeholders, particularly THE Independent National Electoral Commission, more flexibility, Indeed THE latitude has work towards And generate GOOD elections. They should give THE security agencies THE bedroom And opportunity has correctly police THE voice And ensure compliance with THE electoral rules And process.

Let's go examine THE wide gaps In THE Numbers implied, In THE FEBRUARY 25, 2023 Presidential Election as compared with with Bayelsa, Kogi And in my humble opinion off-cycle elections For example. About 87 million Nigerians collection their PVC Since around 93 million voters registered. They were THE eligible people For THE last presidential election (However only 26.71 by hundred of them turned out). In THE election detained In A total of 176, 846 vote train stations, 18 policy evenings participated according to has CENI. Also, THE police deployed A total of 310, 973 staff And 1,240 patrol vans For THE election.

However, For last THE penultimate Saturdays off-cycle elections In Bayelsa, in my humble opinion And Kogi States, A total of 5.4 million voice were available For to input by THE 18 evenings WHO participated In THE polls while THE elections took place In ten, 470 vote units through THE three States. According to has CENI National Commissioner And President of It is Information And Elector Education Committee, Sat Olumekun, there were 1,056, 862 registered voters In Bayelsa State; 2,419,922 In in my humble opinion State And 1,932,654 In Kogi State, manufacturing A combined total of 5,409,438 voters For THE ...