Review process of appointing INEC chairman - NCP Chair
Dr. Yunusa Tanko
What agenda is your party setting for INEC as the Kogi and Bayelsa states governorship elections approach?
INEC should not be partisan and the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria is there to guide the electoral body even though we challenged the Electoral Act. We thank God that some things have been expunged by the Federal High Court of Appeal. INEC should not be religious, tribal or ethnic based. It should be seen to be doing things based on laws.
The NCP is one of the oldest political parties in the country but it is yet to make the desired impact. What do you think is responsible?
The NCP has always been a vanguard for an alliance but never a merger. Our interest in alliance will be based on strong condition of programmes that are masses-based so that every Nigerian who does not have money to contest elections will come and contest under the NCP platform. We will contest and win in 2019. Remember, we fielded a presidential candidate in the last general elections and he didn’t step down for any other candidate.
Is your party fielding candidates for the Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections?
Yes. In the recent bye-election in Katsina we fielded a candidate. So we are going to field candidates in all the elections.
How prepared are you?
We are very prepared, especially now that we are strengthened by the federal court of appeal that has thrown away the high court’s judgment on party deregistration.
How much do your party’s expression of interest and nomination forms cost aspirants?
Our forms are free. We don’t sell forms but we accept donations from our candidates. We believe that our party should give our members the opportunity of contesting elections based on their credibility.
The PDP has rejected Mrs Amina Zakari as INEC boss, saying it will not accept results of elections conducted under her watch because she is close to President Muhammadu Buhari. What is the position of your party on this issue?
As far as we are concerned, Amina Zakari has paid her dues. She is worthy of emulation, she is a woman of impeccable character who has shown resilience, determination, doggedness and professionalism in her duty. I remember very clearly her actions before, during and after the 2015 general elections. This is a woman who has learnt the rope and contributed to the development of democracy in Nigeria. In every political parties gathering that Jega (former INEC chairman) could not attend, Amina Zakari was sent to represent him. This is to tell you how knowledgeable she is in the INEC duties. And we give her our full support as a political party. This is the only woman who has been able to climb up to that ladder. So, as a political party who supports the course of women, we are with her and we are convinced that she will do a perfect job.
But there are arguments that her tenure is already expired as commissioner but she is still there …
The argument is actually not founded on a solid basis. She was a commissioner whose tenure elapsed. The president has the authority to appoint somebody in acting capacity. In this case, he didn’t say she is the substantive INEC boss yet because he is trying to follow the laws. The president has not done anything wrong. Today, the PDP is kicking against her but when the former president, who was a PDP man, appointed someone nobody questioned him. So, we should not play politics with this.
How do you think the problem of appointing INEC chairman should be handled?
We should correct the system. If we want to select an INEC chairman, three people should be nominated so that we can select who we want. The president has not done anything wrong in selecting Zakari as acting chairperson of INEC.
INEC should not be partisan and the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria is there to guide the electoral body even though we challenged the Electoral Act. We thank God that some things have been expunged by the Federal High Court of Appeal. INEC should not be religious, tribal or ethnic based. It should be seen to be doing things based on laws.
The NCP is one of the oldest political parties in the country but it is yet to make the desired impact. What do you think is responsible?
The NCP has always been a vanguard for an alliance but never a merger. Our interest in alliance will be based on strong condition of programmes that are masses-based so that every Nigerian who does not have money to contest elections will come and contest under the NCP platform. We will contest and win in 2019. Remember, we fielded a presidential candidate in the last general elections and he didn’t step down for any other candidate.
Is your party fielding candidates for the Kogi and Bayelsa governorship elections?
Yes. In the recent bye-election in Katsina we fielded a candidate. So we are going to field candidates in all the elections.
How prepared are you?
We are very prepared, especially now that we are strengthened by the federal court of appeal that has thrown away the high court’s judgment on party deregistration.
How much do your party’s expression of interest and nomination forms cost aspirants?
Our forms are free. We don’t sell forms but we accept donations from our candidates. We believe that our party should give our members the opportunity of contesting elections based on their credibility.
The PDP has rejected Mrs Amina Zakari as INEC boss, saying it will not accept results of elections conducted under her watch because she is close to President Muhammadu Buhari. What is the position of your party on this issue?
As far as we are concerned, Amina Zakari has paid her dues. She is worthy of emulation, she is a woman of impeccable character who has shown resilience, determination, doggedness and professionalism in her duty. I remember very clearly her actions before, during and after the 2015 general elections. This is a woman who has learnt the rope and contributed to the development of democracy in Nigeria. In every political parties gathering that Jega (former INEC chairman) could not attend, Amina Zakari was sent to represent him. This is to tell you how knowledgeable she is in the INEC duties. And we give her our full support as a political party. This is the only woman who has been able to climb up to that ladder. So, as a political party who supports the course of women, we are with her and we are convinced that she will do a perfect job.
But there are arguments that her tenure is already expired as commissioner but she is still there …
The argument is actually not founded on a solid basis. She was a commissioner whose tenure elapsed. The president has the authority to appoint somebody in acting capacity. In this case, he didn’t say she is the substantive INEC boss yet because he is trying to follow the laws. The president has not done anything wrong. Today, the PDP is kicking against her but when the former president, who was a PDP man, appointed someone nobody questioned him. So, we should not play politics with this.
How do you think the problem of appointing INEC chairman should be handled?
We should correct the system. If we want to select an INEC chairman, three people should be nominated so that we can select who we want. The president has not done anything wrong in selecting Zakari as acting chairperson of INEC.
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