Against the background of impending elections
in Kogi and Bayelsa states, the House of Representatives has urged President
Muhammadu Buhari to fill the top vacancies in the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC).
The positions are Chairman,
National Commissioners and Resident Electoral Commissioners.
The resolution of the House was
sequel to the passage of a motion by a member, Hon. Edward Gyang Pwajok and the
subsequent adoption of the prayers by members
on the floor
Pwajok noted that there were
reports in the media that the tenures of the National Commissioners of INEC
have expired as at 10 August, 2015, save for tow of the Commissioners, and that
the tenures of the Resident Electoral Commissioners have expired.
He said: “The INEC has critical
constitutional functions conferred on it by the constitution which, amongst
other things mandates INEC to organise elections for the offices of President,
Vice President, Governor, Deputy Governor, National Assembly and State
Assemblies membership, register Political Parties, monitor the organisation and
operation of political parties, and the registration of voters, schedule the
time frame within which elections and political party congresses/ primaries are
to be held etc.
“The elections to the
governorship of Kogi and Bayelsa States have been fixed for the 21 November,
2015 and 5th September, 2015 respectively and that the major political parties
have slated their primaries to elect gubernatorial candidates for the last week
of August 2015.”
The lawmaker expressed concern
that INEC as presently is not properly constituted to carry out its
constitutional functions of preparing for these elections, monitoring party
congresses and updating register of voters.
According to him, section 159 (1)
of the constitution 1999 as amended, one third of the members of the Commission
forms a quorum, and thatINEC as constituted now has only two members which is
less than a quorum.
He said the sensitive nature of
the duties of the Commission requires the Chairman and the Commissioners to be
appointed in good time so as to acquaint themselves with the operations of the
commission to make for effectiveness.
According to Pwajok, “there may
be legal issues in the activities of the Commission on account of the vacancies
existing in the said offices.
Credit: Nation
No comments:
Post a Comment