INEC Must Convince Us It Is Capable Of Conducting Free, Fair Elections —Olawepo-Hashim

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Trust (PT), Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, speaks on the readiness of the party to dislodge the old order in the presidential election and the four key zones his party is set to win. He also addresses the challenges ahead of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Group Politics Editor, Taiwo Adisa, presents the excerpts:

WE have two weeks to the presidential election and the issue that has been resonating has been the allegations from some parties about lack of readiness for free and fair elections both by INEC and the administration. What are your views concerning these issues?
I think it is worrying that a number of parties are not comfortable with the preparation and I think the INEC people who are supposed to be the umpires have to go the extra mile to give comfort to the various actors in the process. It is their responsibility to do so. But it’s not just enough to make statements to say what you are saying is not true. You have to be seen to be taking practical steps that are deliberate, symbolic, and institutional; to give comfort and when people see the comfort, they know. So, it is the duty of INEC to give comfort. If they cannot do so, they would have failed in their responsibility and that is the responsibility they owe this country. When they were confirmed by the Senate, they were all screened individually. Somebody must have nominated them as commissioners and what have you, but ultimately, they owe their duty to Nigeria not to any group of persons.

This is a very important election that is going to happen and I think that there is going to be individual and corporate responsibilities for the actions or inactions of people who are in agencies or institutions. In the event that their actions lead to breakdown of law and order, they are going to be held individually responsible by history and not just history, by friends of Nigeria globally who are interested in the peace and stability of this country. So, nobody should think that they can hide under anonymity. This is what most of our development partners are going to be looking at. We have seen in countries and even in the days of our struggle for democracy. We requested for officers who were conducting themselves in manners that are not in sync with global practices, to be put under sanctions. So, INEC officials can be sanctioned. A lot of countries can refuse them entry as a result of their actions. Their properties can be frozen. If anyone of them does anything that leads to breakdown of law and order, they can even be taken to The Hague and sent to prison for life because Nigeria is a signatory to a lot of global instruments that expects some minimum standard of decency and conduct from public officers. So, they should not just think that they can do anything and get away with it. They can’t just anything and get away with it, whether you are a police officer or army officer. There is not going to be limit for accountability for your actions. Even the people they are helping to win the elections, they have a limited tenure after which they will go. But there is no limit in statue for people giving accounts, especially under the various instruments that Nigeria has signed. In ten years, you can still be called to give account of your role and you will still suffer the consequence. It’s not just enough to say that I can behave anyhow, as long as the person I want comes in. In 10, 20 year’s time you can still pay.

Source:- Tribuneonlineng

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