Day 51: My National Conference Exploits (Political Parties and Electoral Matters)

Tuesday 1st July 2014..... 

Conference resumed sitting at 9:11am presided over by the chairman.

Votes and proceeding of Monday 30th June 2014 were read, amended and adopted as amended. 

Announcement;  

The chairman called on delegate Amb Abdulmumuni Abubakar (AIG rtd), who requested to address the conference following his return from medical treatment. He expressed gratitude to delegates and management especially the secretary of the conference for concern and prayers during his period of hospitalization. 

The deputy chairman requested the underlisted committees to resubmit an original signature page of their respective report:

- Committee on National Security 

- Committee on Environment 

- Committee on Public Service 

- Committee on Land Tenure Matters and National Boundary 

- Committee on Religion 

- Committee on Public Finance

- Committee on Citizenship, Immigration and Related matters.

Well my Chair - Mrs Florence Ita Giwa (remember I was her deputy?) gave our committee report to me that one person didn't sign, instructed me to find the person and have him sign and return the report to the  conference management. This was the problem with our report (Environment).

The Chairman introduced two new delegates representing the All Progressive Grand Alliance APGA - Chief Victor Umeh and Alhaji Sani Shinkafi Abdullahi.  Some delegates were like haaaa'aaan; why now? To do what? Now? LOL! 

Anyway they stood up for recognition and were welcomed by delegates and management.

We continued discussion on the report of the Committee on Political Parties and Electoral Matters and later adopted and rejected some of the recommendations made by delegates and committee. 

Here are some of the adopted recommendations made by the committee and delegates; 

- Political debates shall be part of Nigeria's electoral process in line with global democratic traditions, culture and practices towards the deepening of democracy in Nigeria and a body or organization shall be accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to undertake the hosting of the debate. 

- Candidates seeking election to the office of President, Vice President, Governor, Deputy Governor or such other office as may be deemed appropriate at every general election must  participate or attend a mandatory political debate which shall be hosted prior to the date of general election.  

- States Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) be scrapped and its functions be transferred to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It was observed that the commission at that level has outlived its usefulness and has become a tool for governors to manipulate elections into local government councils.

- Review of the Electoral Act to further strengthen INEC`s capacity to effectively monitor party conventions.

- That Parties should be allowed to form and evolve on the basis of clear cut ideologies. 

- Minimum academic qualification for candidates seeking elective positions. For Presidential, Governorship and National Assembly candidates, should be first degree or its equivalent - Mandatory qualification.

- Candidates seeking to contest for States Houses of Assembly and Local Government Chairmanship elections are also expected to posses a first degree certificate or its equivalent while Secondary School Leaving Certificate or its equivalent was set as the minimum academic qualification for candidates seeking election as local government councilors.

- Establishment of a Political Parties Regulation and Electoral Offences Commission to be vested with various responsibilities connected with electoral matters.

Among the responsibilities of the Commission would be to investigate all electoral frauds and related offences; identify, trace and prosecute political thuggery; and other electoral offences as well as monitor the organization and operations of political parties, including their finances.

- Appeals from judgments in pre-election matters to the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court should be filed within 21 days from the date the judgment of the lower court is delivered.

- Evidence Act be amended to shift the burden of proof in election matters to INEC. 

- Relevant provisions be made in the Electoral Act to ensure that no elected official is sworn in until all litigations on the elections are concluded.

- Any candidate adjudged by the courts to have been fraudulent in the electoral process should not only be barred from subsequent elections but should be disqualified from vying for any elective office or holding any government position for ten years.

- In addition any person removed from office, based on the decision of the court on fraudulent election, must lose all privileges attached to that office.

- If a candidate is disqualified by the court for not meeting the required qualification for contesting an election, or in situation where such a person is elected and the court orders him to vacate the office, the candidate with the second highest number of votes should be declared winner.

This recommendation, according to those that argued for it said it is to avoid waste of public funds to repeat elections consequent upon removal of disqualified candidate.

- On the appointment of INEC chairman - Justice Mohammed Uwais Report regarding the manner of appointing the INEC chairman was accepted.

- Any elected officials, executive or legislative who engages in cross-carpeting, regardless of the reasons for such, shall automatically forfeit his or her seat.

This provision, it said, shall not relate to cases where political parties merge to become a mega party. In such a case, Conference agreed that elected officials should have a choice to freely choose any political party they want to belong.

- Elected officers whose political parties, on whose platform they won election, later merge with other political parties after the elections should be allowed to retain their seats.

- Reservation of a defined quota for women and people living with disability in party hierarchy, however suggestion that 15 per cent slot should be reserved for persons living with disabilities was rejected.

- Accessible polling stations be established for persons with disability and that INEC should provide Braille ballot papers for the visually impaired persons.

- If a Candidate whose name was submitted to INEC dies or withdraws from election or is disqualified by a court of competent jurisdiction, the political party which nominated the candidate shall forward to the commission the name of the aspirant who scored the second highest number of vote at the primaries as the substitute candidate.

- Introduction of electronic voting system after the 2015 general elections. 

- Government should make efforts to demilitarize elections.

- Special mandatory provision should be made to compel INEC to electronically transmit result from all the wards upon conclusion of the counting process and that election results should be pasted at all ward levels.

- Government houses, cars and other facilities and resources should not be used for the partisan interests of any political party 

- It should be made mandatory by law for INEC to limit the numbers of voters in a polling unit to 500 as well as create as many polling units as the number of registered voters in every constituency.

As part of that, it was also agreed that the criteria for delineation of the units should be clearly spelt out for easy verification so that communities in need of redress and civil society organizations can have verifiable facts to seek redress.

-  In Multi-party systems, parties that can contest local government elections only, state elections only or federal elections should be allowed to exist. 

- Political party leadership and administration should be insulated from control and interference from chief executives of government at all levels, so that party independence is resorted. In so doing, the wishes of the party members as expressed through their votes will be reflected in party administration.

- May 29th should no longer be seen and observed as Democracy Day - don't know the new day recommended though, I will find out. (October 1st is the recommended Democracy Day).

- Public funds should not be used by elected politicians to fund the activities of their political parties.

- There should be continuous voters registration. 

- Political parties must keep proper record of funds raised and provide annual statements to the new political parties and electoral offences commission suggested to be established and also there should be an expenditure bar for political aspirants. 

- In order to enhance party independence and discipline, all members must submit to the principle of party supremacy. 

- There is need to place a ceiling on campaign financing. 

- Conference rejected the recommendation of the committee to rename the Federal High Court Constitution Court. Nigerians so believe in the miracle of changing names don't we? However conference accepted the establishment of a separate Constitutional  Court.

I have a story for you. 

One of our  (Youth) recommendations which was thrown out in two (2) committees was finally approved in this committee. This is the reduction of the age bar for participation of young people in politics. 

Tuesday 1st July 2014..... 

Conference resumed sitting at 9:11am presided over by the chairman.

Votes and proceeding of Monday 30th June 2014 were read, amended and adopted as amended. 

Announcement;  

The chairman called on delegate Amb Abdulmumuni Abubakar (AIG rtd), who requested to address the conference following his return from medical treatment. He expressed gratitude to delegates and management especially the secretary of the conference for concern and prayers during his period of hospitalization. 

The deputy chairman requested the underlisted committees to resubmit an original signature page of their respective report:

- Committee on National Security 

- Committee on Environment 

- Committee on Public Service 

- Committee on Land Tenure Matters and National Boundary 

- Committee on Religion 

- Committee on Public Finance

- Committee on Citizenship, Immigration and Related matters.

Well my Chair - Mrs Florence Ita Giwa (remember I was her deputy?) gave our committee report to me that one person didn't sign, instructed me to find the person and have him sign and return the report to the  conference management. This was the problem with our report (Environment).

The Chairman introduced two new delegates representing the All Progressive Grand Alliance APGA - Chief Victor Umeh and Alhaji Sani Shinkafi Abdullahi.  Some delegates were like haaaa'aaan; why now? To do what? Now? LOL! 

Anyway they stood up for recognition and were welcomed by delegates and management.

We continued discussion on the report of the Committee on Political Parties and Electoral Matters and later adopted and rejected some of the recommendations made by delegates and committee. 

Here are some of the recommendations made by adopted;

- Political debates shall be part of Nigeria's electoral process in line with global democratic traditions, culture and practices towards the deepening of democracy in Nigeria and a body or organization shall be accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to undertake the hosting of the debate. 

- Candidates seeking election to the office of President, Vice President, Governor, Deputy Governor or such other office as may be deemed appropriate at every general election must  participate or attend a mandatory political debate which shall be hosted prior to the date of general election.  

- States Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) be scrapped and its functions be transferred to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It was observed that the commission at that level has outlived its usefulness and has become a tool for governors to manipulate elections into local government councils.

- Review of the Electoral Act to further strengthen INEC`s capacity to effectively monitor party conventions.

- That Parties should be allowed to form and evolve on the basis of clear cut ideologies. 

- Minimum academic qualification for candidates seeking elective positions. For Presidential, Governorship and National Assembly candidates, should be first degree or its equivalent - Mandatory qualification.

- Candidates seeking to contest for States Houses of Assembly and Local Government Chairmanship elections are also expected to posses a first degree certificate or its equivalent while Secondary School Leaving Certificate or its equivalent was set as the minimum academic qualification for candidates seeking election as local government councilors.

- Establishment of a Political Parties Regulation and Electoral Offences Commission to be vested with various responsibilities connected with electoral matters.

Among the responsibilities of the Commission would be to investigate all electoral frauds and related offences; identify, trace and prosecute political thuggery; and other electoral offences as well as monitor the organization and operations of political parties, including their finances.

- Appeals from judgments in pre-election matters to the Court of Appeal or the Supreme Court should be filed within 21 days from the date the judgment of the lower court is delivered.

- Evidence Act be amended to shift the burden of proof in election matters to INEC. 

- Relevant provisions be made in the Electoral Act to ensure that no elected official is sworn in until all litigations on the elections are concluded.

- Any candidate adjudged by the courts to have been fraudulent in the electoral process should not only be barred from subsequent elections but should be disqualified from vying for any elective office or holding any government position for ten years.

- In addition any person removed from office, based on the decision of the court on fraudulent election, must lose all privileges attached to that office.

- If a candidate is disqualified by the court for not meeting the required qualification for contesting an election, or in situation where such a person is elected and the court orders him to vacate the office, the candidate with the second highest number of votes should be declared winner.

This recommendation, according to those that argued for it said it is to avoid waste of public funds to repeat elections consequent upon removal of disqualified candidate.

- On the appointment of INEC chairman - Justice Mohammed Uwais Report regarding the manner of appointing the INEC chairman was accepted.

- Any elected officials, executive or legislative who engages in cross-carpeting, regardless of the reasons for such, shall automatically forfeit his or her seat.

This provision, it said, shall not relate to cases where political parties merge to become a mega party. In such a case, Conference agreed that elected officials should have a choice to freely choose any political party they want to belong.

- Elected officers whose political parties, on whose platform they won election, later merge with other political parties after the elections should be allowed to retain their seats.

- Reservation of a defined quota for women and people living with disability in party hierarchy, however suggestion that 15 per cent slot should be reserved for persons living with disabilities was rejected.

- Accessible polling stations be established for persons with disability and that INEC should provide Braille ballot papers for the visually impaired persons.

- If a Candidate whose name was submitted to INEC dies or withdraws from election or is disqualified by a court of competent jurisdiction, the political party which nominated the candidate shall forward to the commission the name of the aspirant who scored the second highest number of vote at the primaries as the substitute candidate.

- Introduction of electronic voting system after the 2015 general elections. 

- Government should make efforts to demilitarize elections.

- Special mandatory provision should be made to compel INEC to electronically transmit result from all the wards upon conclusion of the counting process and that election results should be pasted at all ward levels.

- Government houses, cars and other facilities and resources should not be used for the partisan interests of any political party 

- It should be made mandatory by law for INEC to limit the numbers of voters in a polling unit to 500 as well as create as many polling units as the number of registered voters in every constituency.

As part of that, it was also agreed that the criteria for delineation of the units should be clearly spelt out for easy verification so that communities in need of redress and civil society organizations can have verifiable facts to seek redress.

-  In Multi-party systems, parties that can contest local government elections only, state elections only or federal elections should be allowed to exist. 

- Political party leadership and administration should be insulated from control and interference from chief executives of government at all levels, so that party independence is resorted. In so doing, the wishes of the party members as expressed through their votes will be reflected in party administration.

- May 29th should no longer be seen and observed as Democracy Day - don't know the new day recommended though, I will find out. (October 1st is the recommended Democracy Day).

- Public funds should not be used by elected politicians to fund the activities of their political parties.

- There should be continuous voters registration. 

- Political parties must keep proper record of funds raised and provide annual statements to the new political parties and electoral offences commission suggested to be established and also there should be an expenditure bar for political aspirants. 

- In order to enhance party independence and discipline, all members must submit to the principle of party supremacy. 

- There is need to place a ceiling on campaign financing. 

- Conference rejected the recommendation of the committee to rename the Federal High Court Constitution Court. Nigerians so believe in the miracle of changing names don't we? However conference accepted the establishment of a separate Constitutional  Court.

I have a story for you. 

One of our  (Youth) recommendations which was thrown out in two (2) committees was finally approved in this committee. This is the reduction of the age bar for participation of young people.

One of the Youth delegates , Hassan Rilwan, during his 3 minutes speech recommended that  the age of 25 years should be the minimum age for contesting election into the state House of Assembly. We tried to reduce the age bar of the state House of Assembly and House of Representatives in the previous committees but it faced resistance from delegates, this time we tried only one. He also spoke on how political parties select the age mates of his parents as youth leaders, this he explained to them is embarrassing to young people. 

After his speech we had to lobby and meet delegates to approve the reduction of the age bar of participation of young people in politics as this is one of the agenda of the young people. Most of the mails and tweets I got from young people before the conference were soliciting for the age bar reduction.

After the lobbying, time for voting came. Normally the recommendations are projected for delegates to read while the deputy chair read it out for adoption. 

Immediately they scrolled to a page, Hassan and I noticed a recommendation suggesting that 10 years be reduced in every political office which was way out of our scope of recommendation, we had to meet the secretariat to tell them to help us tell the deputy chair not to read that particular recommendation as that will provoke most of the delegates, but it was not working.  I had to muster the courage to go and meet the deputy chair where he is seated, told him to please not read this recommendation but the one we made which was in the bottom page - Over 400 eyes on me. Very hard! But at the end of the day the recommendation was adopted. 

I just wonder who made  that recommendation though. Youths have enemies in the conference! LOL!

- Also our recommendation that Youth leaders of political parties should not be more than 35 years was also accepted.

Though they are yet to accept a % for inclusion of young people in politics and political process. Most of the elderly delegates feel some young people have not got the potential to be handed leadership positions! Having a chat with some of them revealed that. Some of them openly told me "some of the Youth representative even at this conference are embarrassing, they did not show us any sign of seriousness". They told me they sympathize with the serious ones like myself and few others who have good intentions and made them very proud.

Hearing them, I would tell that you have not met the right young people; we have 40 year olds representing the youths in the conference -apologies to them but this is no Youth.  We have millions of bright young Nigerians, brighter than me, who you feel is serious and bright; far more knowledgeable with wisdom and intellect, but who will never be given the opportunity to showcase their talent. But I believe we are getting there.

The report of the Committee on Political Parties and Electoral Matters was then adopted as amended. 

After adopting the report of the committee,  we still had some time left, so instead of closing, the Chairman of the conference requested the Chairman of the next committee in line to present their report - Political Restructuring and Forms of Governance. 

The co-chairmen of the committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Governance, General Ike Nwachukwu and Hon Mohammed Umara Kumalia presented the report of the committee.

Debate on the committee report will commence the following day.

Matter of Urgent National Importance:

Bomb blast at Monday Market in Maiduguri; the attention of conference was drawn to a fatal bomb attack at the Monday Market in Maiduguri,  Borno state, which occurred that day, Tuesday 1st July, 2014. The chairman requested the conference to observe a minute's silence in honor of the victims. 

The conference was also informed of the death of Elder-statesman, Alhaji Umaru Dikko which occurred that day, 1st July 2014. The chairman on behalf of the conference commiserated with the bereaved family.

We adjourned at 3:35 pm - Ramadan time to resume the following day at 9am.  

On Twitter: @Yadomah