The Senate was Wednesday, thrown into a stormy session when senators discussed the alleged militarization and rigging of the 2019 polls.
Nigeria held her Presidential, and National Assembly polls on February 23; and governorship, state Houses of Assembly and Federal Capital Territory, FCT Area Council elections on March 9.
The governorship polls were declared inconclusive in six states and suspended in Rivers. So also were a host of senatorial, House of Representatives and state assembly polls declared inconclusive, while the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, will conduct make-up polls in the affected constituencies on March 23. Currently, the outcome of some of these elections are subjects of litigations at various tribunals.
It was therefore, not surprising that the hallowed chambers of the Senate erupted into an almost uncontrollable situation along party lines especially of the two major political parties – the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, when it was time to discuss a motion on the militarization of the electoral process and the inconsistent application of the electoral laws by the INEC.
At the end, the Senate in very strong terms, condemned the massive use of military forces in the electoral process of the nation. It urged the INEC to ensure consistent application of all electoral laws without bias to any candidate or party in all elections.
The Upper Chamber also asked President Muhammadu Buhari, to as a matter of urgency, give assent to the recent Amendment to the Electoral Act to ensure a level playing field and adoption of equal standards in our national elections for a strong and peaceful democracy in Nigeria.
The Senate also mandated its Committee on INEC to investigate all perceived inconsistent application of electoral laws by INEC in the 2019 elections.
The resolutions were sequel to a motion by the Chairman, Senate Committee on the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Senator Dino Melaye (PDP, Kogi West) on the militarization of the elections and the inconsistent application of Electoral Laws byINEC.
The motion was co-sponsored by Senators Mao Ohuabunwa (Abia North), Matthew Urhoghide (Eda South), Samuel Anyanwu (Imo East), Clifford Ordia (Eda Central), Ahmed Ogembe (Kogi Central), Biodum Olujimi (Ekiti South), and Obinna Ogba (Ebonyi Central).
Presenting the motion, Senator Melaye said that “Extreme militarization of a democratic electoral process, and the inconsistent application of electoral laws by INEC in matters of national elections pose serious threats to our democracy, and has security implications that must be nipped in the bud.”
He lamented that the nation is on the edge of a precipice, adding that ”Our democracy can be saved for future posterity, if only we can build strong institutions that can operate within established laws, and with our military forces restricted to their traditional roles of defending the nation.”
Seconding the motion, the Senate leader, Senator Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe North), who noted that the challenges of elections have been around with us as a nation, said that the electoral process remains a journey which must be fine-tuned.
”We should review what happened and see where legislative intervention is required. Then we will put it up before the Executive,” he enjoined.
